Greens MP labelled a ’hypocrite’ over bullying report but says she has received no complaints

Ex-Greens staffers claim Jenny Leong’s behaviour has caused her to churn through staff at a higher rate than other MPs - despite her anti-bullying activism. She says she’s had no complaints.

Greens MP Jenny Leong has been accused of being “passive aggressive” with staff, turning on them and making life “completely miserable until they quit”.

The allegations – from a former staffer – paint an image of the Greens MP at odds with her public stance on parliamentary behaviour.

Ms Leong was even alleged to have told a staffer in 2017 that she needed to “let out” frustrations with staff because her public image needed to be above reproach.

Multiple former Greens staffers have told The Daily Telegraph that Ms Leong’s behaviour has caused her to churn through staff at a higher rate than other MPs.

“Her pattern is that she works with people and then turns on them for reasons that are completely unclear, then makes things completely miserable until they quit,” a former staffer told The Daily Telegraph.

Newtown Greens MP Jenny Leong. Picture: Alexi Demetriadi

“You would have this person who would in one minute be incredibly sensitive with a constituent then in the next minute would be erratic and angry with you for no particular reason,” the source said.

“It was the worst employment experience of my life.”

In one allegation from 2017, Ms Leong was alleged to have told a staffer words to the effect of: “I can’t behave like this anywhere else and I need to let it out somewhere”.

“I do not have time to be a good middle manager,” the former staffer alleges Ms Leong once said.

Ms Leong was also accused of being a “hypocrite” in her response to the explosive Broderick Review, when she vowed to help change the “toxic culture and boys club behaviour” on Macquarie Street.

Last month Ms Leong said parliament should be “empowered to be able to identify if members of parliament engage in behaviour that consistently sees staff leaving”.

Ms Leong is accused of making life “completely miserable” for staff, but maintains neither she nor her office have received any complaints. Picture: Julian Andrews

However, Ms Leong has been accused of that same behaviour herself.

“There is a trail of people who have worked for Jenny who are really passionate about politics who will no longer work in the movement both because of their experience but also because of Jenny’s influence in the party,” her former staffer said.

In the past 11 months, Ms Leong has advertised for four different positions in her office.

In a statement, a spokeswoman said that 12 people had been employed in Ms Leong’s office since 2015 including four current staff and a long-term job share arrangement.

She said two electorate officers had been employed since May 2019.

The spokeswoman said Ms Leong’s office was not aware of any formal or informal complaints against the MP.

Ms Leong said that it would “sadden” her if a “former staff member had concerns”.

“Everyone who knows me knows how seriously I take these issues, and how committed I am personally and professionally to addressing the issues identified in the Broderick report,” Ms Leong said.

The Newtown MP says she’s committed to addressing the issues identified in the Broderick report. Picture: AAP Image/Joel Carret

“Maintaining good relationships with the people I work with is always something I have cared deeply about, which is why it saddens me if a former staff member has concerns.”

“I will always treat seriously any complaint made by staff.”

Multiple parliamentary sources corroborated stories of Ms Leong’s management style contributing to multiple staff leaving her office.

In one example, a parliamentary source told The Telegraph that Ms Leong was being “passive aggressive” in “chiding” her staff during a phone hook-up while waiting for a rapid antigen test result.

“It made me uncomfortable,” the source said.