Deputy prime minister sued by his own chief of staff

One of the government’s most senior female staffers is suing Defence Minister Richard Marles and the prime minister’s chief of staff, Tim Gartrell, for allegedly ousting her after she complained of bullying by other colleagues.

The legal team for Jo Tarnawsky, who is still technically Marles’ chief of staff, confirmed she had launched legal proceedings against Marles, Gartrell and the Commonwealth on Monday.

Tarnawsky’s lawyers – solicitor Michael Bradley and barrister Rebecca Davern – claim under the Fair Work Act that the government engaged in adverse action against the staffer by effectively pushing her out of her role after she raised concerns about bullying in Marles’ office.

Last month, the chief of staff alleged she was effectively ousted from her job after seeking help for alleged bullying by her colleagues that left her with suicidal thoughts.

Marles himself is not accused of bullying Tarnawsky – who is a former diplomat and one of the most senior women in government – but she claims he shunted her aside in April to work in a lesser government role despite never previously taking issue with her performance.

“My workplace situation remains unresolved,” Tarnawsky said at a press conference in Parliament House on Monday. “Today, after untenable delays and inaction from the government, I’m lodging legal proceedings in the Federal Court of Australia.”

“Taking legal action has come at the end of a very long and traumatic road,” she said. “The government has been afforded multiple opportunities to rectify the wrongs done to me, but it has done nothing except duck and cover, collude and delay.”

The legal action represents a major test for Labor’s commitment to creating a more respectful workplace culture in parliament as well as a major distraction from the government’s agenda to pass up to 20 pieces of legislation in the last sitting week of the year.