THE Australian Trade Commission (Austrade) has always been quick to tout its successes, whether it be flogging sheepskins to Russia or Aussie rules football to India, Austrade has an impressive record of helping Australian exporters crack new markets — at whatever the cost — and a well-tuned PR machine spreads the news.
But one bit of news failed to make an Austrade press release — a wrongful dismissal case has been brought against Sally-Ann Watts, Austrade's former consul general and senior trade commissioner to Canada, and current trade commissioner to the US.
Documents lodged with the Superior Court of Ontario from that case also allege that Austrade will go to extraordinary measures to aid companies and contacts in the pursuit of an export dollar.
One of Watts' former staff members in the Ontario office, business development manager Janna Pomozova, alleges that she was pressured out of her job by Watts last year, and that their relationship soured after she refused to obtain information from the Canadian Government to help a Japanese businessman who was a friend of Watts.
Full Disclosure believes that both Watts and Austrade will contest the claims in court next month.
Emails reveal that, in August 2004, Pomozova was asked by Watts to obtain information from the Canadian Government-funded Virtual Trade Commissioner online tool for Tokyo-based businessman Takahiro Tejima.
Watts, who has served two tours of duty working at Austrade's Tokyo outpost, is a friend of Tejima.
Pomozova registered for the taxpayer-funded VTC website, which assists Canadian companies and citizens, but was later denied access to information because she represented the Australian Government.
"We regret to inform you that you do not qualify for partner-client services," wrote VTC's Patricia Conlon in an email to Pomozova. "Services are only available for Canadian clients. We have to deactivate your VTC account."
After informing her boss of the decision, Pomozova received an email from Watts asking her to use her Canadian citizenship to sign up for the service again.
"Is there some way around this?" Watts wrote in an email to Pomozova. "Any chance you can register as an individual or a private business?"
The email is now an exhibit lodged with an affidavit from Pomozova as part of her legal claim against Austrade and Watts. She is seeking $C91,000 ($A100,000) in damages and back pay after being dismissed last year.
"I kept an email re our communication," Pomozova told Full Disclosure. "This … shows the unethical method used by an Australian Government official to obtain information from the foreign government."
Austrade media spokeswoman Purnima Ganapathy refused to comment on the case when contacted by Full Disclosure, but confirmed that legal proceedings had been launched against Watts in Canada. The matter is next scheduled to go before court on September 15.
De gustibus …
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