‘Bullying’ row sparks demand for better behaviour in parliament (12 Oct 2024)
Article summary: A group of nine independent MPs, including Allegra Spender, Kate Chaney, and Sophie Scamps, have urged parliamentarians to adopt higher standards of behaviour, following allegations of bullying in Parliament House. This call came after Jo Tarnawsky, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles’s chief of staff, publicly claimed she had been sidelined from her role due to complaints about bullying by other staff members.
The letter, signed by several "teal" independents such as Zoe Daniel and Monique Ryan, cited recent inappropriate conduct in Parliament, including offensive comments made by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and divisive language surrounding the Middle East conflict. It asked political leaders to implement the new Code of Conduct for parliamentarians into the House of Representatives Standing Orders.
The situation involving Ms Tarnawsky has raised fresh concerns about workplace safety, with her lawyer, Michael Bradley, noting that interactions with a parliamentary support service had become adversarial. Opposition leader Peter Dutton criticised the government’s handling of the issue, while Education Minister Jason Clare acknowledged progress in addressing workplace behaviour but admitted more improvements were needed.
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