Greens senator Dorinda Cox apologises for ‘shortcomings’ in office, defends handling of bullying complaints

Greens senator Dorinda Cox has apologised for distress caused to staff by “shortcomings” in her office but defended her handling of complaints about bullying and efforts to change. The WA representative also hit out at media coverage of bullying allegations made by her staff, saying there was “significant missing context” to the reporting. Concerns about Senator Cox’s office administration were first revealed by The West in 2022, reporting that six staff members had left her office in the space of a year. This week, Nine newspapers reported that number had ballooned to 20 staff departures over three years with several formal complaints made to the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service. Senator Cox said in a statement on Friday that she had established two office-based teams “with the ambition of an effective, safe and supportive work environment”. “Politics is a challenging and high-pressure environment, especially as a First Nations Woman with five federal portfolios and competing priorities, including Australia’s largest geographical electorate,” she said. “As the employer, I take responsibility for any shortcomings in what has occurred during this period and I apologise for the distress this may have caused. “I have an immense amount of respect and gratitude to my team who prepare and support me for the work I undertake. “On any occasion where issues were raised with me, my team and myself proactively worked with PWSS and continue to do so, to implement and maintain a continuous improvement plan for team culture, management and wellbeing.” She said the reporting included staff grievances that had not been presented to her or the PWSS, which is effectively the independent HR office for parliamentarians. Greens leader Adam Bandt refused to be drawn on the complaints or confirm whether the PWSS had made any recommendations when grilled on the allegations while in Perth this week. His office was made aware of the first complaint in 2021. The PWSS was set up as an interim measure after the Jenkins review of behaviour in parliamentary workplaces. It offers complaint resolution services but cannot investigate complaints or make findings of fact, and does not have the power to impose sanctions on politicians. These stronger powers lie with the separate Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission, which was only legislated last month and is yet to begin operating.