Former Chief of Staff to the Deputy Prime Minister Jo Tarnawsky has announced she reached a confidential settlement that “brings to an end my workplace dispute with the Commonwealth, deputy prime minister and the prime minister’s chief of staff”.
In October last year, Tarnawsky alleged that she was pushed out of her job for raising a bullying complaint against her colleagues in the office. She launced legal action in the Federal Court the following month.
Tarnawsky did not suggest that Richard Marles or the prime minister’s chief of staff bullied her or any other member of staff.
With news of the settlement, a federal government spokesperson said the terms were confidential and no adverse finding had been made against any person.
In a LinkedIn post on Friday, Tarnawsky stated: “Employees should feel safe to raise workplace concerns with their employers without fear of reprisal. Regrettably, that was not my experience. To obtain resolution, I had to embark on public and traumatic litigation. It is a relief to finally close this chapter and move on with my life.”
“Speaking up comes with many costs but so does choosing to remain silent. When I look at what is happening in the world right now, holding firm to your values and standing up for what you believe in matters more than ever.”
After going public with her claims last year, Tarnawsky’s lawyers accused the federal government of working at ‘glacial pace’ to finalise her workplace complaint.
Tarnawsky had technically remained employed on “miscellaneous leave” throughout the legal dispute, but she claimed to have been locked out of her office during this time.
Last year, Marles addressed her allegations, saying he was satisfied he had upheld the ministerial code of conduct, including maintaining a safe and respectful workplace for staff.
Following the delivery of the Jenkins Review in 2021, the federal government pledged to ‘Set the Standard’ and announced a series of workplace safety reforms, but Tarnawsky noted that her “experience has shown that much work remains”.
In her statement regarding the settlement, Tarnawsky also announced she would leave the public service.
“Today I will also close out more than twenty years of service to the Australian Government. In the various roles I have held, both in Australia and overseas, I have been proud of the work I have done.”