Chris Minns expects formal complaints against Walt Secord but former staff fear speaking out

A “culture of fear” is preventing Labor staffers from publicly speaking out against embattled MP Walt Secord, amid increasing calls for the Upper House MP to be booted from parliament at the next election.

A “culture of fear” is preventing Labor staffers from publicly speaking out against embattled MP Walt Secord, amid increasing calls for the Upper House MP to be booted from parliament at the next election.

Former Labor staffers are now urging anyone who believed they experienced “bullying and harassment” from Mr Secord to make a formal complaint which would force the NSW Labor Party to investigate.

With Labor’s upper house ticket to be determined in just two months, Labor Leader Chris Minns has refused to say whether Mr Secord should nominate for preselection.

Since a bombshell bullying report into NSW parliament was released, former Labor staffers have openly discussed the “completely unacceptable” behaviour of “certain individuals within NSW Labor”.

Those comments, understood to be relating to Mr Secord, were made in a Facebook group of 2,800 “Labor staffer alumni”.

NSW Labor’s Walt Secord has resigned from the frontbench.. Picture: Dylan Coker

“Bullying, harassment and vindictive behaviour is Walt Secord’s DNA,” one former senior Ministerial staffer told The Daily Telegraph.

“A future Minns Government and NSW Labor will never have any credibility on the issue of bullying, harassment and the proper treatment of its hardworking staffers as long as Walt Secord sits in any Labor Caucus,” the source said.

Another Labor source said that former staffers were reluctant to come forward, fearing retribution.

“Someone needs to stick their neck out first.”

Despite Labor Leader Chris Minns’ claim on Monday that complaints could be made against Mr Secord through “parliamentary processes,” the only way for former staff to make a formal complaint is through the Labor Party itself.

Mr Minns said he had spoken to a number of people over the weekend who had concerns with Mr Secord’s conduct.

Mr Minns said he would be encouraging anyone with concerns to make a complaint through NSW Labor, or through the parliament.

“I expect formal complaints will come and as a result of that an inquiry will of course be staged,” he said.”

He said no-one had ever raised with him concerns about Mr Secord’s behaviour, beyond arguments about Labor’s policy positions.

The Labor Leader also refused to say whether Mr Secord should nominate for Upper House preselection amid the complaints process.

Nominations to be considered for Labor’s Upper House ticket opened on Friday and will close in Mid September.

“Any comment I make about the future relating to Mr Secord, I believe, would prejudge … a potential inquiry,” Mr Minns said.

If someone complains about Mr Secord through the NSW Labor Party, an independent investigator would be put in charge of addressing the complaint.

In his statement on Monday, Mr Secord said that he was “committed” to implementing the recommendations of an explosive NSW parliament bullying review.

“I fully support the Broderick Review and the change it will hopefully lead to,” he said.

“But my remaining in the shadow ministry at this time has become a distraction from these major revelations and the important work that needs to be done.”

Mr Secord on Friday said that he did “not have the same recollection” regarding complaints made against him by a staffer to former Leader Jodi McKay but acknowledged that he could be “too blunt”.

Labor Planning spokesman Paul Scully will take over Mr Secord’s Police and Counter Terrorism portfolios. Upper House frontbenchers Penny Sharpe and John Graham will take over Mr Secord’s other previous portfolios.