No Labor retreat ban on ‘bully’ MP Jim Madden

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has left the door open for Jim Madden to attend her secluded caucus retreat next week, despite the MP being under formal internal investigation.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: NCA NewsWire / John Gass

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has left the door ajar for Jim Madden to attend a secluded caucus retreat next week, despite him being under formal internal investigation for alleged workplace bullying.

Ms Palaszczuk said she “clearly” did not accept bullying but would not say whether the Ipswich West MP and Labor backbencher would be welcome at the caucus weekend event, to be held on Fraser Island.

“In relation to Jim, I am aware the party is doing an independent investigation,” she said, when asked whether Mr Madden would be attending the retreat.

“I am looking forward to hearing the results of that independent investigation from the state secretary but, as you can appreciate, she has to be able to conduct that investigation independently so I won’t be saying anything more publicly until it is finalised.”

Previous caucus retreats have been held on the Sunshine Coast and at O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat in the Gold Coast hinterland and are used as a strategy and bonding session for Labor MPs before the parliamentary year starts.

The Australian revealed on Saturday that the Queensland ALP had launched an investi­gation into Mr Madden after receiving a formal complaint from a former Ipswich West electorate office staffer in March last year.

Party complaints manager Rachel Drew, a partner at Holding Redlich law firm and workplace law specialist, briefed barrister Kylie Hillard to conduct the probe. The report and recommendations will be handed to ALP state secretary Kate Flanders, who will make a decision about Mr Madden’s future.

Ms Flanders has declined to comment on Mr Madden’s case.

Ipswich West MP Jim Madden. Picture: Peta McEachern

Ms Palaszczuk would not say whether Mr Madden should be expelled from the party if he were found to be a workplace bully.

“I am not going to deal with hypotheticals, but I have said very clearly I don’t accept it and I look forward to seeing the results of that inquiry,” she said.

The former staffer who lodged the complaint had earlier made a workplace bullying claim to WorkCover about her treatment in Mr Madden’s office. The claim was approved.

Two other former Ipswich West electorate office staff members have received financial ­settlements from the Queensland Parliamentary Service – which employs the staff – after alle­gations of bullying.

Ms Palaszczuk said she did not know about the settlements. “No, those are matters for the parliament and nor should I be aware of them,” she said.

On Friday when contacted by The Australian, the Premier through her office directed questions about Mr Madden’s situation to parliamentary Speaker Curtis Pitt but a spokesman for Mr Pitt on Monday said: “As a matter of policy, the Parliamentary Service does not comment on HR matters.”

Mr Madden has not responded to repeated requests for comment from The Australian.

He has, however, engaged Labor law firm Maurice Blackburn to represent him during the ALP investigation.