Former staffers allege NT Senator Sam McMahon’s office was ‘toxic’

Two of Senator Sam McMahon’s former staff members have spoken out about the toxic and sometimes violent work environment in the Senator’s office.

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TWO of Senator Sam McMahon’s former staff members have spoken out about the toxic and sometimes violent work environment in the Senator’s office.

Brad Gaddes worked as media adviser for Senator McMahon for less than a year after she was first elected in May 2019, while the NT News has spoken to a female staffer who wished to remain anonymous.

Both claimed their complaints over the office’s internal culture were rejected by Senator McMahon.

In response to questions, Ms McMahon said she had “no further comment”.

“These matters have been dealt with through the proper process.”

Brad Gaddes has come forward with allegations of a dysfunctional workplace while employed in Senator Sam McMahon's office. Picture: Che Chorley

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Mr Gaddes said he had been subjected to extensive bullying and intimidation, mostly by a member of the Senator’s staff.

“It got to the point where I was actually concerned for my physical safety in the office,” he said. And he says he witnessed the Senator sometimes affected by alcohol, including when they were in Canberra.

“There was an altercation, a verbal altercation … in our Parliamentary Suite down there where I’ve not heard so much profanity being passed by two individuals ever in my life, let alone in the workplace or in Parliament House, it was constant yelling, backwards and forwards and swear words like you’ve never seen before,” he said.

Mr Gaddes gave the interview before Senator McMahon was accused of being drunk in the Senate chamber on Tuesday night, an allegation she denies.

It comes amid a preselection battle for her Senate seat that will be decided this weekend, with Tim Dixon, Jacinta Price and Linda Fazldeen all hoping to unseat her.

Senator Sam McMahon. Picture: Katrina Bridgeford

“For someone to be putting this out on the eve of preselection demonstrates the depths certain people will go to in politics,” Senator McMahon said.

Mr Gaddes says Senator McMahon told him of at least two physical altercations she had with the staff member; one at her Darwin office in April last year and another at a house the next evening.

A female staffer said she witnessed at least one of these altercations and said she heard first-hand of the altercations.

The staffer, who wished to remain anonymous, described the environment in Senator McMahon’s office as “toxic”.

Mr Gaddes showed the NT News text messages the Senator sent to him early on the morning of April 4, last year, alleging the staff member assaulted her.

Asked how he reacted, he said: “(I had) absolute concern for her safety. I asked where she was. I was concerned that I needed to get her out of a potentially dangerous situation.”

He said he called a friend in the police who told him officers had attended the scene.

In an interview with Sky News in April Senator McMahon spoke at length about the intimidation and abuse she claimed said she had also been subjected to.

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