‘I liked being Cher’: Parramatta council staff on being labelled the ‘Witches of Eastwick’

Sacked City of Parramatta boss Gail Connolly said there were only a few more council staff to “get rid of and we will be on fire” as the “Pink Ladies play the long game”, according to text messages aired at an anti-corruption inquiry.

The Independent Commission Against Corruption’s public inquiry on Monday heard messages revealing Connolly and high-ranking staffers Angela Jones-Blayney and Roxanne Thornton discussed removing key staff from the western Sydney council. It included a message from Jones-Blayney sent to Thornton about employees that read: “all those f---ers did nothing”.

Jones-Blayney, the council’s executive director of city engagement and experience, provided evidence on her third day as a witness at the public inquiry into the council.

Under Operation Navarra, the ICAC is investigating Connolly, Jones-Blayney and Thornton over a series of allegations, including that they intentionally subverted recruitment and promotion processes within the council in order to benefit friends and associates. The trio were part of a group that referred to themselves as the “Pink Ladies”.

The commission saw text messages sent from Connolly to Jones-Blayney in September 2023, a month after the latter commenced employment at the council, about plans to “get rid of” some staff.

“Pink Ladies play the long game – that’s how we will get [Ryde councillor Roy Maggio] in the end. Parramatta is already better for having you and Roxy [Thornton],” the text read.

“Today’s ET meeting was the best we have had yet because it involved some friendliness and some laughs. Only a few more to get rid of and we will be on fire. Keep doing you Ang.”

Jones-Blayney later sent a text to Thornton in October: “it’s all going to unfold next week and will go to s--- fast, but as I said to you today, I’m going to walk around that floor with my head held high, because all those f---ers did nothing”.

Jones-Blayney said the message was regarding a new interim structure she would announce later that month, which included the appointment of Michelle Carter, a former colleague of Jones-Blayney’s from Ryde Council and a fellow Pink Lady. The inquiry was previously told that Carter played a significant role in writing the position description for a new role at City of Parramatta, to which she was then directly appointed.

The ICAC also heard that in November 2023, Connolly sent a text to Thornton and Jones-Blayney telling them that “some of the early content in the Sheree emails refers to you two as the Witches of Eastwick”. The 1987 horror-comedy film features Cher, Michelle Pfeiffer and