Anthony Albanese’s respectful parliament promise in tatters

Jo Tarnawsky, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles’ chief of staff and one of the highest-ranking female staffers in the Albanese government, at a press conference in Parliament House on Thursday. Picture: Martin Ollman/NewsWire

Anthony Albanese’s election promise to transform federal parliament into a family-friendly, respectful and transparent workplace has fallen flat.

The government, which had already lost another bruising parliamentary sitting week, was hit on Thursday with allegations of workplace bullying and personal safety fears by its highest-ranking female chief of staff.

Jo Tarnawsky, the sidelined chief of staff of Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles and a former diplomat who previously worked as deputy official secretary in the governor-general’s office, delivered a damning indictment of Albanese’s commitment to ensure the safety of women in parliament.

While bullying claims will be tested by the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service, and potentially the courts, Albanese and his senior ministers never extended the benefit of doubt to previous allegations levelled at the former Morrison government.

Despite Peter Dutton’s fondness for Marles, who is well-regarded across the political divide, the Opposition Leader said Tarnawsky’s claims were “very concerning” and linked the matter to disputed allegations of bullying by Penny Wong and Katy Gallagher raised following the tragic passing of Labor senator Kimberley Kitching.

“This is not the first time the Prime Minister has been embroiled in these sorts of matters,” Dutton told 2GB.

“The government runs a double standard, there’s no doubt about that, and a lot of the left-wing media won’t have much to say about this because it’s an allegation against a Labor minister.”

Ahead of the 2022 election, as Scott Morrison failed to manage a series of explosive scandals, Albanese presented himself as a virtuous, reforming crusader who would fundamentally change the way federal politics operates.

The facade of moral purity has been peeled-away by the reality of government.

Over the past 18-months, there has been an exodus of senior Labor staffers leaving what some describe as toxic, manic and chaotic work environments.

Some staffers who cut their teeth during the almost decade Labor spent in opposition were burnt out. Others have departed for better-paid jobs and friendly hours.

The job of a modern-day political staffer, whether in government, opposition or on the crossbench, is not for the faint-hearted.

The 24-7 media and social media cycle – combined with some politicians who shift blame for their own failures onto advisers – is making staff retention and recruitment more difficult than ever.

Albanese, who has been criticised for holding parliamentary sitting weeks during school holidays and cutting staff allocations for crossbench independents, has also come under fire over his own behaviour in the chamber.

Before jetting overseas for the ASEAN summit, the 61-year-old was forced to apologise after mocking Angus Taylor: “Have you got Tourette’s or something? You know, you just sit there, babble, babble, babble.”

Teal MPs have criticised Albanese and Dutton for fuelling “toxic, disrespectful” behaviour in the chamber.

Ahead of a brutal election campaign next year, the animosity and mud-slinging between Albanese and Dutton will continue to escalate.

The challenge for the ALP and Coalition is to show disgruntled voters, some of whom have flocked to minor parties and independents, that the major parties have vision and policies that extend beyond political rhetoric and brawling.