The political staffer at the centre of the latest bullying claims embroiling federal parliament played important roles in Labor’s past two federal election campaigns.
Jo Tarnawsky, chief of staff to Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, alleges her boss’s media director Kate Hanns ignored and belittled her at work.
She also claims Ms Hanns, who was one of Labor’s deputy communications chiefs for the 2022 election, excluded her from crucial information within the office.
Ms Tarnawsky has filed a Federal Court lawsuit against the federal government, Mr Marles and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese‘s chief of staff Tim Gartrell, claiming she was subjected to ‘adverse action’ under the Fair Work Act.
The former diplomat alleges Mr Marles removed her from her $270,000 job after she complained about Ms Hanns seven months ago.
Ms Tarnawsky’s statement of claim alleges Ms Hanns bullied and harassed her from May last year and froze her out of office culture.
She claims she was denied access to Mr Marles’ diary, removed from team emails and that ‘her dog pictures had been removed from the office’s shared pet wall’.
Ms Tarnawsky says she was treated in ‘an abrasive, hostile and exclusionary manner’ and from May last year was subjected to an ‘escalating course of conduct’ by Ms Hanns.
Jo Tarnawsky, chief of staff to Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, alleges her boss’s media director Kate Hanns (above) ignored and belittled her in their workplace
Ms Hanns has worked for Mr Marles since 2019 when the ALP was in opposition and before that was on the staff of Labor MP, now Social Services Minister, Amanda Rishworth.
Her first political job was as a media adviser to former Labor MP David Feeney in 2014. She previous worked for 21st Century Fox and Southern Cross Austereo.
Ms Hanns is not the only person Ms Tarnawsky accuses of bullying and harassment but was ‘primarily responsible’, according to her statement of claim.
‘Ms Hanns… meant so much more to Mr Marles than just an important staff member,’ that statement says.
The claim further state Ms Tarnaswky received ‘regular praise for her high performance’ in her role and was given ‘no negative performance reviews or feedback’.
Ms Tarnawsky’s solicitor Michael Bradley, from Marque Lawyers, told Daily Mail Australia his client was ‘frozen out’ of her job after complaining to Mr Marles.
The chief of staff had travelled to the UAE, Turkey, Poland and Ukraine with her boss and other staff in April.
‘She messaged Marles while they were on a plane flying back from a trip to Europe,’ Mr Bradley said.
Jo Tarnawsky (above) has filed a Federal Court lawsuit against Mr Marles and the prime minister’s chief of staff, claiming she was subjected to ‘adverse action’ under the Fair Work Act
‘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.’
Ms Tarnawsky claims Mr Marles spoke to Mr Albanese’s chief of staff, Tim Gartrell, on April 29 and ‘informed him that he no longer wanted her in his office.
From April 30, Ms Tarnawsky was denied access to her office, and her personal belongings were still in there, Ms Bradley said.
Ms Tarnawsky has not suggested Mr Marles bullied her, and her claims have been disputed by his office.
She was still employed on ‘miscellaneous leave’ but had been ‘effectively removed’ and replaced by an acting chief of staff, Ms Bradley said.
Mr Bradley said Ms Tarnawsky was exercising a workplace right when she made the bullying complaint and Mr Marles allegedly forcing her out of her role was ‘adverse action,’ unlawful under the Fair Work Act.
Delivering a statement at Parliament House, Ms Tarnawsky told reporters she was not 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.
Ms Tarnawsky, a former diplomat, alleges Mr Marles removed her from her $270,000 job after she complained about Ms Hanns seven months ago. Mr Marles and Ms Hanns are circled
‘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.’
Ms Tarnawsky, who is seeking unspecified damages, claims she has suffered financial loss including medical bills, as well as enduring hurt, humiliation and reputational damage.
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.’
Ms Tarnawsky is the most senior female political staffer in the government.
