THE NSW Department of Industry has rejected a complaint over the appointment of a former senior Hunter police officer as acting head of its compliance unit.
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The department rejected Gloucester Groundswell's complaint that former Hunter police assistant commissioner Lee Shearer was conflicted because she was a director of companies that had advised the mining industry.
The complaint was rejected despite the acknowledgement of a possible "perception of conflict".
Gloucester Groundswell complained that the department had breached its own code of conduct relating to conflicts of interest, "particularly significant because of the compliance and enforcement unit's role in the highly controversial area of coal seam gas".
While Ms Shearer had not deregistered her companies, she had not provided services to the mining industry and did not intend doing so while working for the department, Gloucester Groundswell was told.
Group spokesman John Watts said the department's response showed a complete lack of understanding of the nature of a conflict of interest.
"The department acknowledges that Ms Shearer's consultancy work might give rise to a perception of conflict but then suggests that the conflict can be managed without explaining in any way how this might be done," Mr Watts said.
"It is clear that Ms Shearer has not relinquished her interests in the businesses that have in the past and probably hope in the future to act for the resource industry. It is nonsense to suggest that such a conflict can be managed."
