The Greens politician that has had 20 staff leave in three years – amid explosive allegations of bullying and a toxic work culture
A Greens senator has let go of 20 staff in just three years amid explosive allegations of bullying and a toxic workplace culture.
Several associates of Dorinda Cox, the Greens senator for Western Australia, have made formal complaints about their time in her office, with one claiming they had suicidal thoughts.
The allegations surrounding Ms Cox, a proud Noongar Yamatji woman and former WA police officer, were made by the Sydney Morning Herald this week.
In a complaint sent to the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service (PWSS) in 2021, a former employee claimed she saw “disturbing behaviour” from Ms Cox towards them and other colleagues.
“These experiences made me concerned about my safety and the safety of others in the office,” the employee told the publication.
“I felt like I was walking on eggshells a lot of the time, waiting for Dorinda to explode on me.”
In a draft complaint from another employee, which was not formally filed, they alleged that Ms. Cox would apologize for her actions “but the behavior would continue.”
‘O“I often became aggressive, persistently negative, and sometimes vicious, which ultimately led to my mental health deteriorating to the point where I experienced daily panic attacks, suicidal thoughts, and an almost complete loss of self-esteem in my professional skills,” says the staffer who has since left wrote in the draft complaint.
Several staff members working under Dorinda Cox, the Greens senator for Western Australia, have made formal complaints about their time in her office, with one claiming they had suicidal thoughts.
“I felt at the time that if I did not resign, my mental health would deteriorate to the point where medical intervention in a hospital would be necessary, something I expressed to the chief of staff in Adam Bandt’s office.”
It is understood four formal complaints have been made to the PWSS and five have been referred to Greens leader Adam Bandt’s office.
Another former aide, Aunt Esther Montgomery, who worked under Ms Cox for six weeks earlier this year, claimed the senator was a “bully” who “constantly let me down”.
“She would psychologically abandon me… She is not a shrinking violet,” Ms. Montgomery told the publication.
A spokesperson for Ms Cox told SMH that the number of staff leaving was not unusual.
They said part of the reason was due to Ms. Cox’s appointment as spokesperson for the Greens First Nations in February last year.
The spokesperson said Ms Cox worked respectfully with colleagues ‘remains deeply grateful to the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service for the work they do in helping offices across the country, including mine, despite what can be both politically and personally challenging circumstances.’
Ms Cox will be seen with fellow Greens Senator Larissa Waters at this year’s Midwinter Ball
A spokesperson for Mr Bandt said staff deserve to be in a safe working environment.
‘The Leader’s Office has no legal authority to resolve disputes between staff and an individual Senator’s office, and if a staff member makes a complaint, he or she is encouraged and supported to pursue it through the independent PWSS , and that happened here,” they say. said.
Ms Cox became the seventh Indigenous politician in the current Federal Parliament when she was sworn in in October 2021.
She joined the WA Police as a cadet at the age of 17.
During her eight years of employment, Ms Cox worked with traffic, child abuse and youth services teams and carried out frontline roles including dealing with 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