Richard Marles’ chief of staff Jo Tarnawsky has agreed to an out-of-court settlement

Richard Marles’ chief of staff Jo Tarnawsky has agreed to an out-of-court settlement after she alleged she had been bullied by colleagues.

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles’ chief of staff Jo Tarnawsky has reached a confidential out of court settlement after she alleged she was bullied by colleagues in the ministerial office.

“I have reached a confidential agreement that brings an end to my workplace dispute

with the Commonwealth, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Prime Minister’s Chief of

Staff,” Ms Tarnawsky said in a statement on Friday evening.

“Today I will also close out more than 20 years of service to the Australian government.

“In the various roles I have held, both in Australia and overseas, I have been proud of the work I have done.

“I wish to thank my family, friends, colleagues, and the many Australians who reached out

to me over the last few months.”

She also thanked her lawyers.

Richard Marles’ chief of staff Jo Tarnawsky made the bullying claims public at a press conference in Parliament House in October. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Ms Tarnawsky claims she was pushed out of her $270,000-a-year role after she complained that she had been belittled, undermined and blocked from accessing key information.

She alleges the bullying began in May 2023 but escalated after she raised a complaint against her colleagues.

The tensions reached breaking point before October 2024 when the chief of staff publicly claimed she had been prevented from doing her job at a startling press conference.

She then launched legal action against the government, her boss Mr Marles, and Anthony Albanese’s chief of staff, Tim Gartrell, for damages over the alleged harassment.

Neither Mr Marles nor Mr Gartrell had been accused of engaging in the alleged bullying.

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles had not been accused of bullying. Picture: NewsWire / John Gass

Ms Tarnawsky said she had started work at Parliament House in 2022 shortly after the delivery of the Jenkins Review following the Brittany Higgins rape allegations.

“The government pledged to ‘Set the Standard’ and announced a series of

reforms that promised to make the parliamentary workplace safer for staffers like

me,” Ms Tarnawsky said.

“Like many, I had high hopes. But my experience has shown that much work remains

to be done.”

She said employees should feel safe to raise workplace concerns with their employers without

fear of reprisal.

“Regrettably, that was not my experience. To obtain resolution, I had to

embark on public and traumatic litigation,” Ms Tarnawsky said.

“It is a relief to finally close this chapter and move on with my life.”

Originally published as Richard Marles’ chief of staff Jo Tarnawsky has agreed to an out-of-court settlement