PORT Stephens Koala Hospital president Ron Land has defended the appointment of Labor's Port Stephens mayoral candidate, Leah Anderson, to the position of koala hospital chief executive.
The $10 million koala hospital and sanctuary opened at One Mile in September last year after funding commitments of more than $4 million from Port Stephens Council and $3 million from the NSW government.
With a council election due on December 4, retiring Independent councillor Ken Jordan said the appointment "didn't pass the pub test" .
"The job should have been advertised and an open selection process run," Cr Jordan said yesterday.
"This is an organisation that depends heavily on public money, and it needs to be run accountably."
Ms Anderson said she had stood down from the koala board and had no role in her own appointment.
Asked if the board should have advertised openly for the position, she said "that's a question for the president".
Mr Land, who had been acting CEO as well as president, said the hospital board "didn't see the need" to advertise for the CEO's role because Ms Anderson's abilities were already well-known.
"She's been one of our carers for two years, she's come through the ranks, she's been a director for over a year and we were well aware of her abilities and extremely confident in her suitability for the job," Mr Land said.
"It was a matter of urgency and we needed someone with business skills and acumen and we needed someone who knew how our organisation worked."
Mr Land was for many years a high-profile union official, rising to secretary of the northern district branch of the mineworkers union.
"We're very lucky to have her," Mr Land said of Ms Anderson, who runs her own mortgage broker and financial advisory. She managed Westpac's Nelson Bay branch between 2010 and 2013.
"This has got nothing to do with politics," Mr Land said.
Ms Anderson said her position as Labor's mayoral candidate, and the time needed for the koala hospital CEO job, were the reasons she stood down recently from three boards: the hospital, Business Port Stephens and Destination Port Stephens.
State Labor MP Kate Washington endorsed Ms Anderson, saying she was "a terrific appointment for a much-loved organisation".
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