NAAJA has apologised ‘without reservation’ for unlawful sacking of its long-time CEO

A legal aid agency has been forced to apologise in an embarrassing backdown that had its day in court. Read who’s sorry.

NAAJA chief executive Priscilla Atkins has received an unreserved apology from her employer after the Federal Court found her sacking had been invalid.

Ms Atkins sued the Aboriginal legal aid agency after its board had tried to sack her from the chief executive role in 2023.

The legal action followed a complaint Ms Atkins made against NAAJA financial officer Madhur Evans in November 2022.

In a decision handed down in June, Justice Natalie Charlesworth found Ms Atkins had exercised a recognised workplace right in making a complaint against Ms Evans and she had been unlwafully sacked.

With the two parties expected to return to court in December to hash out restitution for Ms Atkins’ unlawful sacking, NAAJA on Wednesday released a statement acknowledging the court finding and issuing an unreserved apology.

North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency chief executive Priscilla Atkins leaves the Federal Court this year. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Despite the bitter dispute and a cycle of up to six acting chief executives following her unfair dismissal, NAAJA’s statement said Ms Atkins remained employed with the agency.

“NAAJA unequivocally accepts the findings made by the court,” the statement said.

“Amongst other things, the court found that, in late November 2022, NAAJA unlawfully suspended Ms Atkins from her employment. The court also found that the passing of a resolution in January 2023 to terminate Ms Atkins’ employment was unlawful, invalid and of no effect, and that a letter purporting to dismiss Ms Atkins in reliance on this resolution was similarly unlawful and of no effect.

“Ms Atkins remains employed as the chief executive officer of NAAJA,” the statement said.

“For the avoidance of doubt, her employment is not subject to any suspension or ongoing disciplinary investigation. NAAJA wholly resiles from any express or implicit findings of wrongdoing made by it against Ms Atkins in the lead-up to her purported and unlawful dismissal.

“NAAJA apologises without reservation to Ms Atkins for the unlawful action it took against her and the hurt, pain and suffering she endured as a result of those actions, as well as any damage suffered to Ms Atkins’ reputation by reason of NAAJA’s actions.

“NAAJA sincerely hopes to move forward from the events of the past two years in a professional and cooperative way with Ms Atkins for the benefit of Ms Atkins, NAAJA and the community that NAAJA proudly serves.”

In her only public comments since the Federal Court ruling, Ms Atkins told Sky News her treatment had taken a deep personal toll.

“I can’t even describe how stressful that is when you had worked your whole life to build up such a successful organisation and overnight to lose your reputation, you lose your career, you lose your mental health and you’re about to lose your house because you can’t afford anything anymore,” she said in June.

Originally published as NAAJA has apologised ‘without reservation’ for unlawful sacking of its long-time CEO