The deputy prime minister’s chief of staff is suing the government over claims she was forced to resign after raising a bullying complaint.
Jo Tarnawsky has filed a lawsuit in the federal court against the federal government, the deputy prime minister, and the prime minister’s chief of staff, claiming ‘adverse action’ under the Fair Work Act.
Her lawyer, Michael Bradley, told Daily Mail she was ‘frozen out’ of her job after making the complaint on April 29.
‘She messaged Marles while they were on a plane flying back from a trip to Europe. He responded favourably and said they’d talk the next day – but the next day he basically booted her.
‘The deputy prime minister told her he didn’t want her working for him any more and from that point she was frozen out.’
From April 30, Mr Marles was denied access to her office, and her personal belongings are still in there, Bradley said.
She has not suggested that Mr Marles bullied her.
Ms Tarnawsky is still employed in her role on miscellaneous leave, but she was ‘effectively removed’ and an acting chief of staff has been doing her job since May, Bradley said.
He said she was exercising a workplace right when she made the bullying complaint and Marles allegedly forcing her out of her role was ‘adverse action,’ unlawful under the Fair Work Act.
Delivering a statement from Parliament House, Ms Tarnawsky told reporters that she wasn’t aware of any investigation into the alleged bullying she reported.
‘It has now been more than 200 days since I raised my concerns privately with the deputy prime minister about bullying behaviour in his office,’ she said.
‘I was then exiled as a result. My workplace situation remains unresolved. Not a single member of the government has reached out to check on my wellbeing.
‘After the window dressing of parliamentary workplace reforms has been put in place, the government is testing in real time what it can get away with.’
The allegations come after the government passed legislation establishing a new independent body to crackdown on bad behaviour in parliament.
Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission (IPSC) began operations on October 1.
Mr Marles was forced to address the allegations during Question Time last month when Coalition MP Sussan Ley asked whether he felt he had complied with his ministerial obligations to maintain a safe and respectful workplace.
The House of Representatives fell dead silent as he struggled through his response, telling the chamber: ‘To state the obvious, in this moment, I feel very sad that events have got to where they have.’
‘It is obviously very difficult.
‘Let me say that in the way in which I have tried to manage this, I have done so with Jo’s welfare in mind at every moment, as I would try to manage things on that basis for all of my staff.’
Mr Marles said he admired Ms Tarnawsky for her commitment to social justice and described her as a ‘wonderful person.
He added: ‘As is evident, this matter is now in the hands of lawyers – of course that is absolutely Jo’s right but it does mean that it is difficult for me to say anything more on this.’