Former Tasmanian attorney-general Elise Archer ‘bullied, harassed’ staff member: ex-judge

An inquiry report which has explosively emerged in the middle of the Tasmanian election finds former state attorney-general Elise Archer, who is seeking a return to parliament, ‘harassed’ a staffer.

Elise Archer rejects an inquiry report that says she bullied and harassed a senior staffer when she was attorney-general. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

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Former Tasmanian Liberal attorney-general Elise Archer – attempting a political comeback as an independent – bullied and harassed a senior adviser, according to an inquiry report rejected by Ms Archer.

Once a senior figure in the Rockliff government, Ms Archer quit in late September 2023 after the bullying probe and insulting messages were exposed by The Australian.

The government has since refused to release the report, either directly or via Right to Information.

However, as Ms Archer seeks to return to parliament at the July 19 snap election as an independent, a summary of the report has been seen by The Australian.

Conducted by former judge Raymond Finkelstein, the inquiry – continued after Ms Archer’s resignation – upheld key complaints by a senior adviser and stated Ms Archer had breached the ministerial code of conduct.

“I am satisfied that the conduct the subject of the senior adviser’s complaint constituted bullying,” Mr Finkelstein stated in the document.

“If the conduct cannot be characterised as bullying it certainly amounted to harassment. In either case, the minister code was breached.”

Ms Archer denies bullying or harassing the staffer and rejects contentions within the summary.

She said it was the same as a draft report presented to her that failed to consider 13 pages of rebutting submissions made by her, and supporting evidence from other staff.

The ex-judge said he was satisfied Ms Archer “meant no harm” to the complainant staffer.

“The pressures of her office, significantly caused by an overwhelming workload, at times led to criticisms of staff who did not produce work that was error free,” Mr Finkelstein said.

“At times this criticism was unreasonable, as was the case with the senior adviser.”

He was also satisfied that a WhatsApp message in which Ms Archer described the senior staffer as “f..cking useless” was “disrespectful”. “Here again, the ministerial code was breached,” Mr Finkelstein stated.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Ms Archer, standing as an independent in the Hobart-based seat of Clark, accused Mr Rockliff and his “team” of leaking the report to try to damage her.

She said the findings were presented to her as a draft in early 2024 and she responded with a 13 page rebuttal.

This “strongly disputed” the allegations and encouraging the judge to seek evidence from other staff members, who believed the allegations were unfounded. “I was very surprised when I never received any final response,” she said.

She could not release her 13-page rebuttal because it named staff, made allegations and could have legal implications. “I’m in a difficult position, legally,” she said.

Ms Archer accused Mr Rockliff and his staff of “playing games”. “I’m not going to engage in petty personal politics, which it appears the premier and his team are willing to do,” she said.

“The reason that draft report is so wrong is because it doesn’t go to any other evidence – it’s a ‘he said, she said’ report. There is no backing from other sources.”

The government denied leaking the report.