Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has opened up about bullying allegations by his chief of staff, who claims she was forced to resign from her dream job.
Marles' top staffer, Jo Tarnawsky, said during a press conference on Thursday that she loved her job prior to May, when she privately raised bullying concerns to her boss.
'During the flight home from an official trip to
Ukraine in late April, I raised concerns privately with the Deputy Prime Minister about some bullying behaviour within the office,' she told reporters.
She said that Mr Marles acknowledged her concerns and promised to address them.
'However, when we returned to Australia, he called me and - in direct response to the concerns I had raised - he made it clear that I should start looking for alternative employment,' she said.
'Any of my attempts to resolve the issue or to discuss it in person were refused. He demanded that I take several weeks of leave immediately.'
Mr Marles was forced to address the allegations during Question Time on Thursday 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.'
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles is pictured during Question Time on Thursday
