NSW MP Nick Lalich denies bullying claims by federal staffer Sera Yilmaz

A federal ALP staffer claims she was bullied so badly by a state Labor MP and his staff that she suffered panic attacks and had to go to hospital. He has denied the claims.

A staffer who has worked with several Labor MPs, ­including Kristina Keneally, claims she is the victim of years of serial bullying so bad that she was hospitalised with panic attacks.

Sera Yilmaz, 34, claims she was repeatedly called a “Labor rat”, told her name was “disgusting” and serially harassed by Cabramatta state Labor MP Nick Lalich.

Mr Lalich has denied the claims.

According to a legal letter sent to Mr Lalich in 2021, Ms Yilmaz said she was harassed by Mr Lalich and some of his staff while working as an adviser for Fowler federal Labor MP Chris Hayes between 2015 and 2020.

The harassment, she claims, included Mr Lalich’s staff visiting her at Mr Hayes’ office, where she worked as an adviser while also working as a Fairfield Labor councillor and deputy mayor.

Sera Yilmaz (left) on the campaign trail with Labor Senator and Federal Fowler candidate Kristina Keneally and another volunteer.

Mr Lalich did not respond to The Saturday Telegraph’s requests for comment but, in a June 2021 legal letter he sent in response to her claims, Mr Lalich’s lawyer said: “We are instructed to ­respectfully deny any allegations of wrongful conduct made against our ­client by Ms Yilmaz.

“Our client further, respectfully, asserts that he has not at any time as implied in your letter, acted contrary to the policies and rules of the Australian Labor Party.”

Cabramatta MP Nick Lalich. Picture: AAP Image

Ms Yilmaz raised these allegations in emails to multiple senior NSW Labor representatives.

A senior ALP figure sent a letter to Ms Yilmaz in 2019 saying: “I am satisfied that your concerns have been followed with Mr Lalich to my satisfaction.

“In addition, I also reminded Mr Lalich of NSW Labor’s Code of Conduct in which all members of the Party are ­required to observe,” it read.

Mr Lalich received a letter from Ms Yilmaz’s lawyers ­accusing him of “calling our client a ‘rat’ and making ­remarks about our client’s name, referring to her name as ‘disgusting’ and encouraging others to engage in similar distasteful behaviour”.

Former Cabramatta Labor branch member David Lay said he witnessed the “rat” comments numerous times between 2019 and 2021, with the comments being made “in a moderate but aggressive tone” during meetings.

Sera Yilmaz volunteering on the 2016 state election campaign of Cabramatta Labor MP Nick Lalich.

Mr Lalich is also accused of “constantly harassing our client’s former employer (Mr Hayes) at her former workplace to the point that our client had to resign from her employment, significantly impacting our client’s livelihood”.

In January Ms Yilmaz started working on the campaign of Labor Senator Kristina Keneally, who has been accused of being one of three “mean girls” who bullied ­deceased Victorian Labor Senator Kimberley Kitching.

Ms Keneally has strongly denied those claims.

There is no suggestion Ms Keneally has engaged in any adverse behaviour towards Ms Yilmaz.

Ms Keneally declined to comment, although The Saturday Telegraph understands she had no knowledge of the bullying claims.

Ms Yilmaz declined to comment when contacted. Ms Yilmaz is the secretary of the NSW branch of the Australian Local Government Women’s Association.

That organisation’s president, Cassandra Coleman, said she has been aware of Ms Yilmaz’s situation for 12 months.

“People say politics is a tough game and you have to roll with the punches. But how much is rolling with the punches and how much is bullying and harassment?” she said.

Mr Hayes did not respond to requests for comment.

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