Call me ‘Sir’: QLD MP accused by ex of coercive control for political gain
Beleaguered state backbencher Jim Madden allegedly broke ALP rules for preventing branch-stacking by paying for his girlfriend’s party membership and telling her how to vote.
Queensland MP Jim Madden allegedly broke ALP rules designed to prevent branch-stacking by paying for his girlfriend’s party membership, coercing her to take executive roles in his branch and telling her how to vote.
In fresh claims about the beleaguered backbencher, Sarah Grist – whom Mr Madden made call him “Sir” during their years-long relationship – alleges she suffered coercive control at the hands of the Ipswich West MP so he could gain internal party influence.
Mr Madden in February survived a Labor investigation into allegations of workplace bullying by a former female electorate officer.
Ms Grist said Mr Madden manipulated her in mid-2018 into taking on the executive roles of secretary and treasurer in his State Electoral Council branch, and required her to sign off on SEC financial statements, despite her concerns she did not have the capability to do so.
A full-time carer for her disabled son, Ms Grist has made the decision to go public with her experiences, along with Mr Madden’s former electorate office staffers Alison Young and David Stone, in the hope Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and the Queensland ALP will act to remove him from the party.
“I was coerced into acting how he wanted, in order to benefit him alone,” Ms Grist said.
“If the party continues to accept this behaviour from their MPs, they really do need to admit there is clearly some level of acceptance of coercive control within their party structure, and that their actions don’t match their words.”
Mr Stone, Mr Madden’s assistant electorate officer for more than a year from May 2019, alleges the MP inappropriately touched him at work, tucking in his shirt and adjusting his belt, under the guise of fixing his work attire.
“It stemmed from allegedly an ability for him to fix my professional dress, and would be like ‘Tuck your shirt in’ and fixing my belt,” Mr Stone said.
“Just inappropriate.”
He said he suffered a nervous breakdown and was hospitalised, “substantially” the result of treatment in Mr Madden’s office.
Ms Young, Mr Madden’s long-serving electorate officer from September 2018 to October 2021, alleges he bullied and harassed her. She made a successful WorkCover claim after being diagnosed with PTSD and anxiety.
In one incident on March 17, 2021 – detailed in documents submitted to WorkCover – Ms Young recalls she told Mr Madden to “drive safely” as he left the electorate office to go to a sod-turning with a minister on a rainy day.
She said he started yelling at her, “How would you feel if I told you how to drive”.
“It’s like working with a live hand grenade … I’m super anxious he is going to hit me the next time he goes into a rage.
“Bullying, gaslighted, feeling physically threatened,” Ms Young told WorkCover.
She told The Australian she was left devastated by Labor’s handling of her formal complaint against Mr Madden. After a year-long investigation by a barrister engaged by the ALP, which found more than 20 breaches of party rules, state secretary Kate Flanders decided Mr Madden would not be expelled and would instead receive one-on-one anti-harassment and bullying training.
Ms Young, the president of the Bundamba branch of the ALP, has engaged Shine Lawyers and is considering whether to launch legal action against her employer, the Queensland Parliamentary Service.
“Every worker is entitled to a safe workplace, and clearly I wasn’t provided with one,” she said.
“It’s worse that I’ve been betrayed, not just by the Legislative Assembly, who were my employers tasked with keep me safe, but also by the Labor Party, of which I’ve been a member and completely committed to for 20 years.”
The ALP has ordered a second investigation into another formal complaint against Mr Madden, made recently by a former electorate staffer, alleging bullying towards her and other workers and volunteers, and other inappropriate behaviour.
In mid-2018, Ms Grist and Mr Madden were in a relationship and she said he was concerned about his perceived political rivals in his local SEC, including his former campaign manager Madonna Oliver.
He wanted Ms Grist to become the secretary and treasurer.
She said he paid for her to become a party member; her membership card states she joined the ALP on May 14, 2018.
ALP rules from 2018 state new applications need to be paid from the prospective member’s personal account, and membership renewals can be paid only by themselves or a “close family member”.
“Given the power imbalance between us in our relationship, my very obvious political inexperience and the clear indications from me that I didn’t feel comfortable or experienced enough to be taking those positions, I honestly feel the term coercive control is an apt description of the manipulation used to ensure I would act as Jim needed to gain control of that branch,” Ms Grist said.
She has epilepsy so cannot drive, and relied on Mr Madden to take her to meetings and other engagements. “I was controlled by only receiving information he presented to me regarding financial statements etc, and by only being able to attend meetings he took me to,” she said.
In Facebook messages between the couple seen by The Australian, on August 17, 2018 Mr Madden said: “I guess this is typical of the Labor Party. Too much politics. You are a welcome relief from this … this is why I need you on my SEC. I need your vote.”
Ms Grist: “Thank you Sir, you have my vote. I like being your distraction.”
The following day, Ms Grist told Mr Madden: “I don’t think I want a position of office holder … I’m not really cut out for this shit … what on earth did I agree to?”
She said she was “not really looking forward” to an important party meeting the following day.
Mr Madden responded: “Just sit next to me and I will take care of things. I will tell you how best to
vote. You can look forward to what follows at Lowood (a suburb of Ipswich).”
“Just grin and bare Ms Grist, for me … Sir.”
Mr Madden has not responded to The Australian’s repeated attempts to seek his right of reply to allegations made against him, including his refusing to come out of his electorate office for an interview in March.
He denied Ms Young’s allegations during the WorkCover process, and engaged Maurice Blackburn lawyers to defend him during the ALP internal investigation into her complaint.
A spokesman for Ms Palaszczuk said: “Previous claims in relation to the member for Ipswich West have been investigated by the ALP through an independent barrister.
“I understand the state secretary has now referred additional matters for investigation.”
“The Premier will await the outcomes of those investigations but at all times, she demands the highest standards from members of parliament.”
Ms Flanders said the allegations made by Ms Grist and Mr Stone had not been previously raised with the ALP, and they had not made a complaint to the party so she could not comment on their veracity.
“In general, however, I would reiterate that the Labor Party takes complaints seriously,” Ms Flanders said.
“We investigate matters raised by our members thoroughly and within our powers as a membership-based organisation.
“We have Respect Contact Officers who party members can contact to raise any issues or concerns and a code of conduct that sets out the expectations we have of all members in relation to creating safe and secure places for people to debate ideas, work on campaigns and to progress the political debate.
“The matters relating to Ms Young’s complaints have been fully investigated and an outcome provided to Ms Young and Mr Madden, as has previously been reported.”
Ms Grist is not currently a member of the party so she is not able to make a formal complaint to the ALP.
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