Teal Monique Ryan changes way (office) politics works

Sally Rugg is taking legal action against her boss Monique Ryan in the Federal Court, six months after being hired as her chief of staff.

Kooyong MP Monique Ryan has been accused of a breach of general protections under the Fair Work Act, in a case filed late last week. Picture: AAP

Teal MP Monique Ryan faces an embarrassing court battle with left-wing activist Sally Rugg for ­allegedly breaching workplace laws, as a Climate 200 campaign chief and ex-Greens aide is sent in to put the Kooyong independent’s office back on track.

Ms Rugg, the MP’s chief of staff and a leader in the campaign to legislate same-sex marriage, is accusing Dr Ryan of a breach of general protections under the Fair Work Act, in a case filed late last week.

Dr Ryan ran a ­campaign to make parliament more transparent and a safer workplace, but did not respond to requests for comment on Monday when asked why Ms Rugg was taking her to court.

The laws Dr Ryan, who ousted former treasurer Josh Frydenberg last May, is claimed to have breached are designed to protect employees from “harmful (adverse) action, coercion, undue ­influence or pressure, and/or misrepresentation, where they affect workplace rights”.

The Australian has been told Ms Rugg, who briefly ran Kevin Rudd’s campaign for a royal commission into the media before joining the teal MP’s staff last year, is still employed in Dr Ryan’s ­ office, despite the legal action.

The federal government is also listed as a respondent and the ­Department of Finance declined to comment on Monday.

Nina O’Connor has been listed on the Parliament House website as Dr Ryan’s acting chief of staff.

Monique Ryan campaigned strongly on the issue of equality, respect and safety for women. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Martin Ollman

Ms Rugg did not respond to a request for comment.

Dr Ryan campaigned strongly on the issue of equality, respect and safety for women in the lead-up to the May election. She was also a key proponent of a parliamentary code of conduct, tweeting in June that it would be “crucial in improving the workplace culture of Parliament House”.

“I’m looking forward to developing a code of conduct that will hold politicians to a high standard,” Dr Ryan tweeted.

Introducing a Parliamentary code of conduct as recommended by the Jenkins' report will be crucial in improving the workplace culture of Parliament House.

I'm looking forward to developing a code of conduct that will hold politicians to a high standard.https://t.co/mpbjmlgdfz

— Dr Monique Ryan MP (@Mon4Kooyong) June 13, 2022

Ms Rugg’s position in Dr Ryan’s office was referenced over the weekend in a Schwartz Media article by Julia Gillard biographer Chris Wallace, who wrote Rugg “proved not quite a comfortable fit with Kooyong and is not continuing as … chief of staff”.

When she hired Ms Rugg last July, Dr Ryan spruiked her recruit as an “outstanding all-rounder with excellent leadership experience, a proven track record of ­effective policy advocacy, and high-level strategic communications skills”.

Sally Rugg said it had been Dr Ryan’s policy outlook that had ­attracted her to the job. Picture: David Caird

“We are thrilled to welcome her to Team Mon,” Dr Ryan said.

Ms Rugg said it had been Dr Ryan’s policy outlook that had ­attracted her to the job. “What drew me to Monique was obviously the policy priorities – climate change, gender equity, integrity and transparency in politics – but also her approach as a grassroots, community-connected independent,” she told Nine Newspapers.

Ms Rugg, who made regular media appearances – particularly as a campaigner for legalising same-sex marriage – has kept a lower profile since becoming a political staffer. However, she took to Twitter in her first week in the role, tweeting, “Best first-week-of-a-new-job ever”, in response to Dr Ryan’s first speech late July, and “I love my new job so much omg” in August.

Best first-week-of-a-new-job ever ☺️ https://t.co/AjreTrySaY

— Sally Rugg (@sallyrugg) July 28, 2022

I love my new job so much omg

— Sally Rugg (@sallyrugg) August 12, 2022

Maurice Blackburn, the law firm representing Ms Rugg, declined to comment, as did lawyers for the commonwealth and Dr Ryan, Sparke Helmore.

Due to new Federal Court rules restricting the release of documents until the first hearing, access is yet to be granted to Ms Rugg’s application, and details of the alleged brief are not known. An interlocutory hearing is scheduled for this Friday before Justice Debra Mortimer.