SES Commissioner sacked Tara McCarthy 'on the spot' against advice of top public servant SES deputy commissioner Tara McCarthy at the ICAC hearing. TARA McCarthy was sacked on the spot as deputy commissioner of the SES against the advice of the state's top public servant, a corruption inquiry has been told. NSW Public Service Commissioner Graeme Head said he told SES Commissioner Murray Kear that procedural fairness must be followed when dismissing executive staff, including being notified of the intention to remove them and providing at least 48 hours to respond. Police and Emergency Services Minister Michael Gallacher with Matthew Field and Ian Rimmer of Wyong SES with SES Deputy Commissioner Steven Pearce. He said Mr Kear told him in a meeting on May 8 this year that he had a "toxic" dispute between two executives and was considering removing one or both of them because there was no reasonable prospect of their conflict being resolved. Mr Kear said that Ms McCarthy and Deputy Commissioner Steven Pearce were "essentially challenging each other's authority" and Ms McCarthy was, in particular, making "a series of what he felt were unfounded claims." Mr Head today told the Independent Commission against Corruption that he advised Mr Kear to also seek the advice of the Ombudsman. NSW SES Commissioner Murray Kear. In a follow up phone call on May 17, Mr Kear told Mr Head that he had already removed Ms McCarthy and also issued a staff notice stating his reasons for her dismissal. "Mr Kear told me that he had a short conversation with Tara McCarthy and removed her," Mr Head said. This was concerning to me for two reasons: apparent failure to take into account of the matters I had raised regarding procedural fairness; and the content of notice issued to staff that he described to me. The ICAC is investigating claims that Mr Kear sacked Ms McCarthy in reprisal for her making corruption allegations against Mr Pearce. Ms McCarthy uncovered evidence of credit card misuse by Mr Pearce and other performance issues before she was dismissed on May 14 this year. The inquiry continues.