Teal independent Kooyong MP Dr Monique Ryan sued by chief-of-staff ex-GetUp campaigner Sally Rugg

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Trouble for independent teal MP as top employee SUES her for allegedly breaking workplace laws, months after praising her as a ‘leader’

  • Sally Rugg was hired as Chief of Staff to Teal MP Dr Monique Ryan
  • The staff member is a former GetUp! and Change.org activist
  • She is suing her boss in Federal Court under the Fair Labor Act.

Teal’s independent congresswoman, Dr. Monique Ryan, is being sued in Federal Court by her left-wing activist chief of staff for allegedly violating employment laws.

Marriage equality advocate Sally Rugg, a partner of ABC TV comedian Kate McCartney, claims that Dr. Ryan violated the general protections of the Fair Labor Act.

Dr. Ryan hired the former GetUp! activist as his top staffer after ousting Treasurer Josh Frydenburg at Kooyong’s ritzy Melbourne headquarters in the May election.

He praised Ms. Rugg as “an outstanding multitasker with excellent leadership experience, a proven track record of effective policy advocacy and high-level strategic communication skills.”

Teal’s independent MP, Dr. Monique Ryan (pictured), is being sued in Federal Court by her left-wing activist chief of staff for allegedly violating employment laws.

Dr. Ryan hired the former GetUp!  activist as his top staffer after ousting Treasurer Josh Frydenburg (pictured) at the ritzy Melbourne headquarters of Kooyong in the May election

Dr. Ryan hired the former GetUp! activist as his top staffer after ousting Treasurer Josh Frydenburg (pictured) at the ritzy Melbourne headquarters of Kooyong in the May election

“We are delighted to welcome you to Team Mon,” the former GP wrote on his website at the time.

Ms Rugg said she was “obviously” drawn to working with the independent MP because of his policies on climate change, gender equality, integrity and transparency in politics.

However, on January 25, Ms. Rugg’s lawyers, Maurice Blackburn, filed a lawsuit in Federal Court alleging Dr. Ryan’s failure to comply with employment laws.

The Melbourne-based Ms Rugg, who was also CEO of Change.org, is understood to still currently work for Dr Ryan.

but a means report at the weekend noted that Ms Rugg, who calls herself ‘Australia’s 11th favorite lesbian’, ‘had not proven to be a very good fit with Kooyong’.

Marriage equality advocate Sally Rugg (pictured), partner of ABC TV comedian Kate McCartney, claims Dr. Ryan violated general protections under the Fair Labor Act

Marriage equality advocate Sally Rugg (pictured), partner of ABC TV comedian Kate McCartney, claims Dr. Ryan violated general protections under the Fair Labor Act

Marriage equality activist Sally Rugg got engaged to fellow ABC comedian Kate McCartney on New Year's Day 2022.

Marriage equality activist Sally Rugg got engaged to fellow ABC comedian Kate McCartney on New Year’s Day 2022.

The controversial new rules now prevent the media from revealing the full details of the lawsuit’s allegations until the case is first heard in court.

But the Fair Labor Act is designed to protect workers from ‘harmful (adverse) action, coercion, undue influence or pressure and/or misrepresentation, when affecting the rights of workers’.

The case will initially come to court on Friday, February 3.

Ms Rugg previously launched a Gofundme to fund reporter Tegan George’s legal fight against Channel Ten over her alleged dealings in the Canberra bureau under political editor Peter Van Onselen. She shares the same law firm as Ms. George.

Ms Rugg’s lawyers declined to comment when contacted by Daily Mail Australia. Dr. Ryan’s office did not respond to requests for comment.