Documents alleging ‘improper conduct’ against Labor frontbencher Katrine Hildyard kept secret after FOI request

The Advertiser has been refused FOI access to staffing documents containing “allegations or suggestions of improper conduct” involving a state Labor frontbencher.

State Labor frontbencher Katrine Hildyard – who holds several portfolios including child protection, women, sport and the arts – with Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas. Picture: Emily Cosenza

Unproven “allegations or suggestions of improper conduct” involving Labor frontbencher Katrine Hildyard are among a cache of secret documents detailing employee complaints and compensation claims against her.

In a Freedom of Information application with the Department of Treasury and Finance, The Advertiser requested any documents relating to concerns expressed by staffers about Ms Hildyard’s conduct.

The Advertiser also sought any documents relating to worker compensation claims made by her employees.

A total of 239 documents were identified in the request, but the department denied access to 232 documents.

Five documents – including a letter, notes and email attachments – were denied on the grounds they contained “allegations or suggestions of improper conduct, the truth of which has not been established by a judicial process”. The rest were blocked because they contained information on personal affairs.

Katrine Hildyard has been in parliament since 2014.

Ms Hildyard is the opposition spokesperson for child protection; women and the prevention of domestic and family violence; recreation, sport and racing; and the arts.

When asked to confirm if any allegations of bullying had been made against her since she was elected to the seat of Reynell in 2014, Ms Hildyard said “I am unable to discuss individual staff matters”.

“Processes relating to electorate staff are managed by the Department for Treasury and Finance,” Ms Hildyard said.

“But more generally, I reject any suggestion that my behaviour has been of this nature – that is not who I am nor what I stand for.”

Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas would not say if he was aware of any misconduct allegations, staff complaints or worker compensation claims.

One document released in part to The Advertiser revealed a 2015 email from Adelaide consultancy firm McPhee Andrewartha, which specialises in leadership development, coaching, mediation and workplace bullying investigations.

“I’ve attached my completed report,” the consultant said in an email to Electorate Services manager Paul Tatarelli.

“I hope it is useful in providing background and some solutions to help the staff and the elected member achieve their goals.”

Ms Hildyard did not recall any interactions with McPhee Andrewartha in relation to her office.

“The only record of any interactions was when (Ms Hildyard) was asked to participate in a review relating to a CEO of a community organisation whom she had worked alongside for many years,” an opposition spokesman said.

Katrine Hildyard on her way to a shadow cabinet meeting in 2018. Picture: AAP Image/Kelly Barnes

Since 2014, 23 staffers have been employed in Ms Hildyard’s office. Some completed years of service while others had short employment terms that lasted less than three months, including a trainee who left after three days in 2016.

Each MP gets one trainee per year.

“Ten trainees have worked in the Reynell Electorate Office since Katrine Hildyard MP was elected in 2014,” the opposition spokesman said.

“This is the Member for Reynell’s eighth year in parliament, so this is not an unusually high number.”

Last month, the Department for Treasury and Finance refused to release a copy on an email containing “allegations or suggestions” of improper conduct involving Labor MP Jayne Stinson.

Ms Stinson, the member for Badcoe, said no allegations of improper conduct had been put to her.

One key point in a meeting minute, released to The Advertiser after a Freedom of Information request said: “The Badcoe EO (electorate office) since 2018 has experienced a higher than expected turnover of staff.”

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