The political staffer at the center of the latest bullying claims involving federal parliament had played a major role in Labour’s past two federal election campaigns.
Jo Tarnawsky, chief of staff to Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, claims her boss’ media director Kate Hanns has ignored and belittled her at work.
She also claims Ms Hanns, one of Labour’s deputy communications chiefs for the 2022 election, locked her out of crucial information within the office.
Ms Tarnawsky has filed a lawsuit in the federal court against the federal government, Mr Marles and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s chief of staff, Tim Gartrell, claiming she has been subjected to “adverse action” under the Fair Work Act.
The former diplomat claims Marles fired her from her $270,000 job after she complained about Ms Hanns seven months ago.
Ms Tarnawsky’s statement alleges Ms Hanns bullied and harassed her and froze her out-of-office culture from May last year.
She claims she was denied access to Mr Marles’ diary, deleted from the team’s emails and had “her dog photos deleted from the office’s shared pet wall.”
Ms Tarnawsky says she was treated in ‘an abrasive, hostile and exclusionary manner’ and was subjected to an ‘escalating course of conduct’ by Ms Hanns from May last year.
Jo Tarnawsky, chief of staff to Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, claims her boss’ 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 she 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 previously worked for 21st Century Fox and Southern Cross Austereo.
Ms Hanns is not the only person to accuse Ms Tarnawsky of bullying and harassment, but was “primarily responsible” according to her claim.
“Ms. Hanns… meant so much more to Mr. Marles than just a key staff member,” the statement said.
The claim further states that Ms Tarnaswky was ‘regularly praised for her high performance’ in her role and received ‘no negative performance reviews or feedback’.
Ms Tarnawsky’s lawyer Michael Bradley, of Marque Lawyers, told Daily Mail Australia his client was “frozen out of her job” after he complained to Mr Marles.
The chief of staff had traveled to the UAE, Turkey, Poland and Ukraine with her boss and other staff in April.
“She sent Marles a message while they were on a plane flying back from a trip to Europe,” Bradley said.
Jo Tarnawsky (above) has filed a lawsuit in the Federal Court against Mr Marles and the Prime Minister’s chief of staff, claiming she was the victim of ‘adverse action’ under the Fair Work Act.
‘He responded positively and said they would talk the next day, but the next day he basically bashed her.
“The deputy prime minister told her he didn’t want her to work for him anymore and from then on she was frozen.”
Ms. Tarnawsky claims that Marles spoke to Albanese’s chief of staff, Tim Gartrell, on April 29 and “told him he no longer wanted her in his office.”
As of April 30, Ms. Tarnawsky was denied access to her office and her personal belongings were still there, Ms. Bradley said.
Ms. Tarnawsky has not suggested that 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 workplace rights when she made the bullying complaint, and Mr Marles’ forcing her out of her role was ‘adverse action’, unlawful under the Fair Work Act.
Ms Tarnawsky made a statement at Parliament House, telling reporters she was not aware of any investigation into the alleged bullying.
“It has now been more than 200 days since I raised my concerns privately with the Deputy Prime Minister about bullying behavior in his office,” she said.
‘That got me banned. My workplace situation is still not resolved. Not a single member of the government has reached out to check on my well-being.
Ms. Tarnawsky, a former diplomat, claims Marles fired her from her $270,000 job after she complained about Ms. Hanns seven months ago. Mr Marles and Mrs Hanns are circled
“After introducing parliamentary workplace reforms, 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 losses, including medical bills, as well as pain, humiliation and damage to her reputation.
The allegations come after the government passed legislation establishing a new, independent body to crack down on bad behavior in parliament.
The Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission (IPSC) launched on October 1.
Mr Marles was forced to address the allegations during Question Time last month, when coalition member Sussan Ley asked whether he felt he had met his ministerial obligations to maintain a safe and respectful workplace.
The House of Representatives fell silent as he struggled through his response, telling the House: “To state the obvious, at this moment I feel very sad that events have come to where they are.”
‘It is of course very difficult.
‘Let me say that in the way I have tried to manage this, I have done so with Jo’s welfare in mind at every stage as I would try to manage things on that basis for all my staff.’
Mr Marles said he admired Ms Tarnawsky’s commitment to social justice and described her as an “amazing person”.
He added: ‘As is clear, this matter is now in the hands of lawyers – of course Jo is absolutely right, but it does mean it is difficult for me to say more about this.’
Ms. Tarnawsky is the highest-ranking female political staffer in the administration.