A Greens senator had 20 members of his staff resign in just three years amid explosive allegations of bullying and a toxic work culture.
Several employees working under Dorinda Cox, the Greens senator for Western Australia, have made formal complaints about the time they spent in her office, with one alleging she had suicidal thoughts.
The allegations surrounding Ms Cox, a proud Noongar Yamatji woman and former WA Police officer, were aired by the Sydney Morning Herald this week.
In a complaint sent to the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service (PWSS) in 2021, a former employee claimed to have seen “disturbing behaviour” from Ms Cox towards them and other colleagues.
“These experiences made me worry about my safety and the safety of others in the office,” the employee told the publication.
“I spent a lot of the time feeling like I was walking on eggshells waiting for Dorinda to explode on me.”
In a draft complaint lodged by another member of staff which was not formally lodged, they claimed Ms Cox would apologize for her actions “but the behavior would continue”.
‘Oh“Many times I became aggressive, persistently negative and sometimes cruel, which ultimately resulted in my mental health deteriorating to the point of having daily panic attacks, suicidal thoughts and an almost complete loss of self-esteem in my professional capacity,” he said. the employee who since left wrote in the draft of the complaint.
Several employees working under Dorinda Cox, the Greens senator for Western Australia, have made formal complaints about the time they spent in her office, with one alleging they had suicidal thoughts.
“At that time I felt that if I did not resign from my position, my mental health would deteriorate to the point that I would require medical intervention in a hospital, something I communicated to the chief of staff in Adam Bandt’s office.”
It is understood four formal complaints were made to the PWSS and five referred to Greens leader Adam Bandt’s office.
Another former employee, aunt Esther Montgomery, who worked with Ms Cox for six weeks earlier this year, claimed the senator was a “bully” who “constantly put me down”.
“She would put me down psychologically… She’s not a shrinking violet,” Ms. Montgomery told the publication.
A spokesperson for Ms Cox told the SMH the number of staff leaving was not unusual.
They said part of the reason was because Ms Cox was appointed as the Greens’ First Nations spokesperson in February last year.
The spokesman said Ms. Cox worked respectfully with her colleagues and “I remain very grateful to the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service for the work they do to support offices across the country, including mine, despite what may be difficult circumstances both politically and personally.” .
Ms Cox is seen with fellow Greens senator Larissa Waters at this year’s Midwinter Ball.
A spokesperson for Bandt said staff deserved to be in a safe working environment.
“The leader’s office has no legal power to resolve disputes between staff and any individual senator’s office, and if any staff member makes a complaint, they are encouraged and offered support to pursue it through the independent PWSS , and that happened here,” they said. saying.
Cox became the seventh Indigenous politician in the current federal parliament when she was sworn in in October 2021.
He joined the WA Police as a cadet at the age of 17.
During her eight years of service, Ms Cox worked with trafficking, child abuse and youth aid teams, as well as carrying out frontline roles including handling domestic violence and theft complaints.
Ms Cox became the seventh Indigenous politician in the current federal parliament when she was sworn in in October 2021.