A Greens senator has had 20 staff members quit in just three years, amid explosive allegations of bullying and a toxic work culture.
Several staff working under Dorinda Cox, the Greens senator for Western Australia, have made formal complaints about their time in her office, with one alleging they were left feeling 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 one complaint sent to the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service (PWSS) in 2021, a former staffer claimed they saw ‘disturbing behaviour’ from Ms Cox towards them and other colleagues.
‘These experiences made me concerned for my safety and for the safety of others in the office,’ the staffer told the publication.
‘I spent much of the time feeling like I was walking on eggshells just waiting for Dorinda to explode at me.’
In a draft complaint by another staffer which was not formally lodged, they claimed Ms Cox would apologise for her actions ‘but the behaviour would continue’.
‘Often times becoming aggressive, persistently negative and sometimes vicious which ultimately resulted in my mental health declining to the point of having daily panic attacks, thoughts of suicide and an almost complete loss of self-esteem in my professional ability,’ the staffer who has since left wrote in the draft complaint.
Several staff working under Dorinda Cox, the Greens senator for Western Australia , have made formal complaints about their time in her office, with one alleging they were left feeling suicidal thoughts
‘I felt at the time that if I didn’t resign from my position that my mental health would deteriorate to such a state to require medical intervention in a hospital setting, something I articulated to the chief of staff in Adam Bandt’s office.’
It’s understood four formal complaints were submitted to the PWSS and five referred to the office of Greens leader Adam Bandt.
Another former staffer, Aunty Esther Montgomery, who worked under Ms Cox for six weeks earlier this year claimed the senator was a ‘bully’ who was ‘constantly putting me down’.
‘She would put me down, psychologically … She’s no shrinking violet,’ Ms Montgomery told the publication.
A spokesperson for Ms Cox told the SMH the number of staff leaving wasn’t unusual.
They said part of the reason was due to Ms Cox being appointed as Greens First Nations spokesperson in February last year.
The spokesperson said Ms Cox worked respectfully with colleagues and ‘continues to be very grateful to the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service for the work they do in helping offices across the country, including mine, despite what can be challenging circumstances both politically and personally’.
Ms Cox is seen with fellow Greens senator Larissa Waters at this year’s Midwinter Ball
A spokesperson for Mr 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 member of staff raises a complaint, they are encouraged and offered support to pursue it through the independent PWSS, and that occurred here,’ they said.
Ms Cox became the seventh Indigenous politician in the current federal parliament when she was sworn in in October, 2021.
She joined WA Police as a cadet at the age of 17.
During her eight years of service, Ms Cox worked with traffic, child abuse, and juvenile aid teams as well as performing front line roles including dealing with domestic violence and stealing complaints.
Ms Cox became the seventh Indigenous politician in the current federal parliament when she was sworn in in October, 2021
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