One Nation MP Sarah Game calls for psychological testing of staff after former workers’ ‘toxic’ claims

Sarah Game has issued a stunning response after staffers raised claims of a ‘toxic’ office, labelling major parties like ‘cartels’ and calling for psychological testing.

One Nation MP Sarah Game has introduced an unorthodox motion calling for psychological testing of parliamentary staff after former employees raised claims of a “toxic” workplace within her office.

In a speech to parliament on Wednesday, Ms Game levelled a stunning attack on former employees and major parties, saying they “operated like sharks and cartels” and claiming the Liberals had poached staff from her by enticing workers with “office tea room hangouts”.

She said she was “proved right not paranoid” when two former staffers tendered their resignations on the day of her father’s funeral to move to the Liberal Party.

“Members of parliament with small parliamentary officers ... find themselves working with disloyal opportunists, aggressive personalities or incompetent employees,” she said.

“Employment law from my observation operates to protect lazy, disloyal and incompetent staff ... while the member of parliament is left hindered in their duties and at risk of being hung out to dry.”

One Nation MP Sarah Game has called for psychological testing of parliamentary staff in the wake of claims levelled against her office. Picture: Instagram

In a seven-minute speech, Ms Game said minor parties were “particularly vulnerable” to staffing issues, saying “one bad egg in a small office can have catastrophic consequences” and labelling employees’ moves to rival offices “theft to the taxpayer”.

“It is important for the wonderful staff, past and present, in my office to be acknowledged from the outset ... these staff who went above and beyond don’t deserve to be mixed up with complainers who couldn’t do a standard week while pocketing the automatic after hours loading,” she said.

Ms Game has had more than a dozen staffers leave since taking office two years ago, which she attributes to staffing structure and short-term contracts.

However, a number of former staffers told The Advertiser Ms Game’s office was “a shambles” and described the environment as toxic, saying they felt like staffers were set up against each other.

They said they were subject to stringent requests and long hours, claiming there were regular outbursts of “yelling and screaming” in the pressure-cooker environment — claims Ms Game has ardently denied.

“My nine-year-old son commented sadly: ‘Mummy, there was a very bad article about you in the paper and they said bad things, but they must be wrong,” Ms Game said.

“My daughters chanted supportively that I’m the best mummy in the world.”

Ms Game (pictured with party leader Pauline Hanson) hit back at claims of a “toxic” workplace within her office. Picture: Supplied

Among other lashings of former staff members, Ms Game claimed one employee “announced they were off for a long lunch with a Tinder date while the others slogged on”.

Parliamentary staff are required to adhere to the public sector code of conduct, which outlines strict behavioural rules and regulations for all government employees.

Any employees who fail to adhere to the code may be liable to disciplinary action.

The One Nation MP also told parliament she planned on introducing legislation that would prohibit major parties from employing staff from independent or minor parties for six months after completion of their contract; and require psychological testing for staff working with parliamentarians.

“Psychological testing would also help the media be assured greater credibility when talking to disgruntled ex-employees,” she said.

She also called for “greater flexibility in short term contracts in order to safeguard members from issues such as disloyalty, incompetence or changes in office resource requirements”.

“The greater issue here is the distraction of deliberate chaos by unstable, lazy or disloyal employees,” Ms Game said.

“Small offices are heavily damaged by people who insist on being square pegs in round holes until their contracts end.”