Bradley Johnson’s bullying and coerced resignation claims against Light MP Tony Piccolo partially substantiated

A former staffer who filed bullying and coercion complaints against a recently re-elected Labor MP is relieved people will now know what “goes on behind closed doors”.

Claims a recently re-elected Labor MP bullied a former staffer before coercing him to resign have been partially substantiated by an independent investigator.

Member for Light Tony Piccolo was accused of bullying former trainee Bradley Johnson at the Gawler electorate office between January and December 2018.

Former South Australian treasurer Rob Lucas, whose portfolio oversaw electorate officer matters, initiated a government-appointed investigator into the allegations, notifying Mr Johnson the Friday before the state election the findings were in his favour.

Light MP Tony Piccolo. Picture: Supplied

In a letter to Mr Johnson, Mr Lucas said the former government received the confidential report from independent investigator Nicholas Linke, of Dentons Lawyers.

“While you are not entitled to a copy of Mr Linke’s report, due to confidentiality reasons, I write to advise that based on the evidence recorded in Mr Linke’s report, I have made findings that some of the complaints you made were substantiated,” the letter read.

“The report has recommended that additional measures be put in place to ensure greater scrutiny of any future apparently voluntary decisions by a trainee to resign before the conclusion of their traineeship.

“This will be referred to the Department of Treasury and Finance for implementation.”

Mr Johnson said he felt validated by the findings after a long period of uncertainty.

“I experienced multiple forms of sort of belittlement and essentially just schoolyard bullying,” he said.

Bradley Johnson, a former trainee staffer of Labor MP Tony Piccolo, went public with allegations of bullying against his old boss. Picture: Brenton Edwards

“It’s just a weight off my chest, really. It’s great to know I wasn’t going crazy.

“He probably didn’t think anything would come of it, and he could get away with it.”

Mr Johnson said bullying in the electorate office in 2018 kept getting worse and worse until he was sat down and asked to resign.

“ (Mr Piccolo) explained to me that he wanted me to resign and that if I didn’t resign that day, within a couple of hours, then he wouldn’t be giving me any good references in the future,” Mr Johnson said.

“I think people should be aware of the kinds of things that go on behind closed doors.

“I struggled a lot with whether or not to come forward with my complaints because I didn’t want to be detrimental to the party before an election.

“But the way I thought of it was that I’m not the one who has actually been detrimental to the party, that was Tony.”

Mr Johnson said an internal Labor Party investigation also found evidence of his claims, with the party directing Mr Piccolo to give Mr Johnson an apology.

He blasted the Light MP after receiving that apology, labelling it a “classic non apology” late last year.

Mr Piccolo said could not comment on the matter as he had not been provided with a copy of the report or its findings.

“I think this fact alone, does in my opinion, speak to the timing, purpose and how the whole inquiry was undertaken,” Mr Piccolo said.

“It appears the whole process, which was initiated by the former Treasurer, the Hon Rob Lucas MLC, was designed to do as much political damage to me, leading up to the state election.”

Both the Labor and Liberal parties were contacted but did not respond by the time of publication.