Court hears claims Rob Messenger laughed off Lambie’s radio sex talk

An invitation from a Tasmanian Senator’s ex-minder to her lawyer has seemingly poked holes in his defence that he had ‘serious concerns about her alcohol consumption’ as the court hears more evidence in his unfair dismissal trial.

A TASMANIAN Senator’s lawyer has fired back at her ex-minder, dismissing claims he was “appalled” by a steamy radio interview telling a court he had in fact laughed it off and encouraged his boss to do a BBC follow-up.

Under cross-examination by Senator Jacqui Lambie’s lawyer Nick Harrington in his unfair dismissal hearing, former chief-of-staff Rob Messenger said he could not recall standing with his boss and Senator Nick Xenophon laughing about the sexual comments she made during the Hobart radio interview.

In his evidence in the Federal Court in Melbourne, Mr Messenger claimed he was “appalled” by her comments about needing a man with a big package and it had soured his relationship with the Senator.

Senator Jacqui Lambie and her Chief of Staff Rob Messenger during a 2014 community forum on the NBN at Devonport.

Mr Harrington told the court Mr Messenger had encouraged her to go on the BBC as part of a full and frank discussion with Senator Lambie about tactical political campaigning.

“Just to say she was sorry if she offended older Tasmanians with her comments,” Mr Messenger replied.

Mr Harrington said the Senator herself had told the ABC her “media adviser was happy for her to be herself” and that he “appreciated her being honest”.

Mr Messenger also gave evidence he had complained to Senator Lambie about her alcohol consumption during his tenure and gave the court a list of hotels, function centres and other places where he claimed he had done so.

But his attendance at all the places listed was questioned and Mr Messenger could not tell the court exactly what he had said to the Senator to dissuade her from drinking on those occasions.

“There is one occasion I can recall at a gathering of candidates in Melbourne. Senator Lambie was very loud, very aggressive and very drunk. Other candidates mentioned it and I said we needed to keep alcohol away from her,” Mr Messenger told the court.

“Her loud voice and the use of profanities was concerning. I tried to take her drink away and received abuse.”

Mr Harrington told the court that Mr Messenger had organised to have a dinner with Senator Lambie and her legal representative Greg Isolani.

“The invite said “we are going to take you to dinner and get you drunk,” Mr Harrington said.

“So here you are organising to go out and drink alcohol with Senator Lambie despite what you say were serious concerns about her alcohol consumption.”

The court heard Mr Messenger and his wife Fern were terminated from their employment with the Burnie-based Senator in 2017 for alleged serious misconduct.