‘My behaviour did not meet the standards of my employer’: Labor staffer gets formal warning following run in with CLP MLA

A FIFTH floor Labor government staffer has received a “formal warning” after being “unnecessarily provocative” during a run in with CLP MLA Joshua Burgoyne (pictured).

A FIFTH floor Labor government staffer has received a “formal warning” after being “unnecessarily provocative” and “inappropriate” during a late night run-in with a CLP MLA.

Braitling MLA Joshua Burgoyne on Tuesday revealed he wanted an incident, where he was “threatened” by a Labor staffer outside parliament last week, referred to the privileges committee – that is the committee that investigates bad parliamentary behaviour.

MORE TOP NEWS

Former Labor secretary identified as staffer who resigned

Let Turner stay in Labor, help us find Gunner’s spine: NT Young Labor

CLP moves to make random drug testing for NT MLAs compulsory

Blindsided by the motion, the government opted to adjourn the debate until after question time, at which time Leader of Government Business Natasha Fyles confirmed the staff member had come forward.

According to a statement from the staff member, read out by Attorney-General Selena Uibo for whom he works, he had been walking outside Parliament House about 9.20pm on Thursday with a colleague when the incident occurred.

CLP Member for Braitling Joshua Burgoyne. Picture: EMMA MURRAY

The staffer said he had been walking with a colleague and discussing “the use of language and words” and the “important use of language” and was admittedly “unnecessarily provocative” in how he spoke to Mr Burgoyne, who happened to be in the vicinity.

HOT NEW DEAL: $1 for 28 days subscription offer

“I assert to the house that I did not use swear words, but the member for Braitling believes I did, and has been insulted by the content of comments,” the statement noted.

“My behaviour did not meet the standards of my employer of the Office of the Chief Minister and I unreservedly apologise to the Member for Braitling.”

Ms Uibo said the staff member had been issued a formal warning by her chief of staff and the Chief Minister’s chief of staff.

“I reassure the house that my staff member’s conduct was out of character and in no way reflects my values, the values of our Labor government, or my ministerial office or indeed their own family values,” she said.

Araluen MLA Robyn Lambley, blasting the “undignified” and “parliamentary behaviour” of the staffer, said it was disappointing that Ms Uibo, in her role as the Territory’s top lawmaker, had sought to minimise the issue.

Under the motion, Mr Burgoyne put forward that the incident be looked into by the privileges committee because to determine whether “the actions of the employee were intended or likely to amount to an improper interference with the free exercise by the assembly” among other reasons.

Leader of Government Business Natasha Fyles said the issue did not fall within the remit of the privileges committee.

The motion was quashed 12-11 in the government’s favour.

Follow @MaduraMcCormack 

    

Originally published as ‘My behaviour did not meet the standards of my employer’: Labor staffer gets formal warning following run in with CLP MLA