Independent MLA Thomas Emerson has renewed calls for the dismissal of Margot McNeill following the release of a damning inquiry into the recruitment process that led to her appointment as chief executive of the Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT).

The report, tabled on Monday by the ACT Legislative Assembly Standing Committee on Public Accounts and Administration, found that Dr McNeill failed to disclose key information about a prior misconduct finding and “actively misled” the CIT Board.

“The CIT Board needs to take decisive action and dismiss Dr McNeill,” Emerson said, arguing that honesty is a fundamental contractual obligation for the role. His intervention comes two weeks after earlier calls for the CEO to stand aside went unanswered.

Committee chair Mark Milligan said the inquiry identified systemic weaknesses in recruitment practices. “The Committee believes that CIT’s recruitment processes should be strengthened, especially their risk management and due diligence practices,” he said, noting the report contains 11 findings and seven recommendations.

Among the most serious conclusions, the committee found Dr McNeill should have disclosed the misconduct investigation to the board in a timely manner but did not, and instead denied any such finding existed. It also determined that CIT’s governance arrangements are “not fit for purpose”, raising broader concerns about oversight within the institution.

Emerson said the situation reflects deeper, ongoing governance failures. “CIT’s reputation has been significantly damaged by the conduct of successive CEOs,” he said, pointing to repeated controversies that have eroded public trust and distracted from the institute’s core role in delivering education.

The findings have intensified political pressure, with ACT Greens Deputy Leader Jo Clay also calling for Dr McNeill to step down. “Given the seriousness of the Committee’s findings, it’s in the public interest for the CEO of CIT to resign,” she said, adding that the board must justify any decision to retain her in the role.

The report recommends that CIT take all possible steps to obtain and assess the findings of misconduct made against Dr McNeill during her previous employment at TAFE NSW, to determine whether she remains suitable to lead the organisation.

The controversy follows earlier scrutiny initiated by ACT Minister for Skills, Training and Industrial Relations Michael Pettersson, who commissioned an independent review into the recruitment process after media reports raised concerns about Dr McNeill’s past conduct.

Former CIT CEO Leanne Cover resigned after being found to have engaged in corrupt conduct involving millions of dollars in contracts. Her departure included more than $1 million in payouts and paid leave.

Both Emerson and the Greens argue the issue extends beyond individual accountability. The committee’s findings, they say, highlight systemic problems in higher education governance that require structural reform.

“We need to look at why CIT’s governance arrangements have failed so spectacularly – twice in a row – and what reforms are needed,” Emerson said.