Camden NSW MP Peter Sidgreaves in bullying and branch-stacking claims

Bullying allegations and branch-stacking claims have been made against a NSW Liberal member of parliament. Find out what was said here.

Liberal Camden NSW MP Peter Sidgreaves has been accused of bullying his employee. Picture: Matthew Vasilescu

Bullying and branch-stacking allegations have been made against a NSW Liberal MP, from within his own office, in a letter sent to the premier on Friday.

In the letter sent by his electorate office manager Alex Carne - and seen by this publication - Camden MP Peter Sidgreaves is alleged to have bullied the employee and branch-stacked before a preselection last year.

The MP denied both allegations and called them “politically motivated”.

The alleged incidents, the letter said, came to a head last June when Ms Carne “broke down” and went on sick leave with a stress-related illness she says was related to the alleged bullying.

Ms Carne made a Worker’s Compensation claim against the NSW parliament, which accepted the liability of her case.

She has not, the letter said, returned to work for Mr Sidgreaves.

Ms Carne was contacted but declined to provide a comment.

Camden Liberal MP Peter Sidgreaves is at the centre of bullying claims. Picture: Gaye Gerard

In the letter, Ms Carne accused the MP of months of “bullying, unfounded accusations levelled against me, threats of losing my job and intimidation”.

The letter also alleged Mr Sidgreaves branch-stacked, which first arose when the MP accused Ms Carne herself of branch-stacking in the lead-up to the electorate’s preselection last year to favour her sister, Councillor Lara Symkowiak, who lost the internal ballot.

“Hi Alex, I’m over this tit for tat BS – Let’s call a spade a spade,” Mr Sidgreaves wrote in an email to Ms Carne.

This publication can confirm the email exists.

“I know you and Lara are stacking the branch. You know that I’m countering. I know Lara wants to run for Camden and so do you. Think about the ramifications.”

There is no party investigation into the allegations raised by Mr Sidgreaves against Ms Carne and Ms Symkowiak. In turn, Ms Carne filed a branch-stacking complaint to the party against Mr Sidgreaves.

The Liberal Party in NSW is facing pressure after a bullying allegation was aired. Picture: Jason Edwards

Ms Carne, the letter said, “broke down” at the receival of the email from Mr Sidgreaves.

In another message sent by Mr Sidgreaves to Ms Symkowiak, and seen by this publication, the MP accused the sitting councillor of stacking the branch and warned of the outcome if she were to win.

“I hope you realise, however, that if you were to be successful your own sister would be out of a job,” Mr Sidgreaves wrote.

“I wouldn’t want that to happen to her because she is in a well-paid position working close to her home.”

In Friday’s letter to NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet and the state executive, Ms Carne said she was writing to Mr Perrottet “as a last resort”.

It also noted how Ms Carne filed a branch stacking and bullying complaint to NSW Liberal Party director Chris Stone in November but had received “no outcome”, and a bullying complaint to the NSW Parliament, her employer.

“I have been strung along by the Liberal Party and given the impression they care about and took seriously my experience,” Ms Carne wrote.

“I have realised that they don’t.”

NSW Liberal president Maria Kovacic said she is treating the claims seriously. Picture: Joanne Vella

The bullying allegations continue to be investigated by the NSW Parliament.

Mr Sidgreaves vehemently denied all the allegations.

“I strongly deny the politically motivated and defamatory allegations,” he said.

In a letter to the party’s state executive on Saturday by Liberal NSW president Maria Kovacic, seen by this publication, it was said the matter “had been treated with the utmost seriousness”.

“Every effort has been made to progress the inquiries in a timely manner,” Ms Kovacic said in her own letter.

“While a complete resolution has not been reached it is incorrect to state no action has been taken.

“The allegations raised are of a serious nature and require careful and thorough consideration and investigation.”

It is understood the investigation has thus far found no evidence of wrongdoing in relation to the branch-stacking allegation.

The president also noted, in her letter, how the party’s own investigation concerned Ms Carne’s branch-stacking complaint made against Mr Sidgreaves and not the bullying allegations, as the party “does not have jurisdiction over those aspects of her complaint (bullying) that arise in the context of her employment”.

Ms Kovacic, in the letter to the state executive, also noted “efforts have been made to keep Ms Carne informed of progress as recently as yesterday”.

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