NT politician's ex-staffer alleges bullying, unfair sacking

A former staffer for a Northern Territory politician has alleged she was bullied, micromanaged and had unreasonable demands placed on her by a superior, before being "ambushed" and unfairly sacked earlier this year.

The former part-time assistant electorate officer for first-term NT government backbencher Clinton Howe made the allegations in an unfair dismissal application lodged with the Fair Work Commission (FWC) in late March.

It alleges the former staffer — who has requested her name be withheld until the matter is heard by the FWC — was sacked for refusing to falsify constituent information in the controversial Feedback database used by the Country Liberal Party (CLP).

The application makes a series of accusations against Mr Howe's full-time electorate officer, including bullying, micromanaging and making unreasonable demands.

In a statement to the ABC, the full-time electorate officer said: "Any suggestion of wrongdoing is factually incorrect and highly defamatory".

The application also claims Mr Howe failed in his duty of care to the former staffer and that "offensive language" was commonly used in his Palmerston office.

In one incident outlined in the application, the former staffer alleges Mr Howe said he wished an elderly constituent would "just f***ing drop dead already", after the senior citizen publicly criticised him.

Department says former staffer sacked over 'rude, aggressive' behaviour

Responding to the application, the NT Department of Legislative Assembly (DLA) — which officially employs electorate office staff — says the former staffer who lodged the application was sacked over four workplace allegations raised with the DLA.

The DLA's response says two of the allegations against the former staffer were substantiated by the clerk of NT parliament, Russell Keith, and the other two allegations were partially substantiated.

"The [former staffer's] responses [to the allegations] were, in many respects, argumentative, she did not directly address the substance of the concerns, she failed to accept any accountability, and she failed to demonstrate any insight into her conduct," DLA's response reads.

"The decision to terminate [the former staffer's employment] was made only after careful consideration of [her] responses and evidence available.

Mr Howe told the ABC that he was the person who had raised the complaints about the former staffer's "unacceptable behaviour".

The MLA also said it had been an "unacceptable psychosocial and wellbeing risk to have [them] in the workplace."

Application alleges former staffer subjected to 'brutal' tasks

The former staffer's application alleges she was subjected to "controlling and unreasonable commands" from Mr Howe's full-time electorate officer, who the application states is a CLP member.

The alleged demands include driving around the electorate in a private car "for hours to report on abandoned trolleys, unkempt lawns, and potholes", for which the former part-time staffer claims she was not reimbursed with petrol money.

She was also allegedly required to deliver "thousands" of newsletters in the hot Top End build-up season.

"It was brutal," the application reads.

The former staffer also states she was concerned about her "mental health and psychological injuries" as a result of the demands placed on her at work.

Falsifying information claim

The unfair dismissal application alleges that on February 19 this year, the former part-time staffer was asked by Mr Howe's full-time electorate officer to falsify a constituent's last name in the Feedback database, as they did not have the name at hand.

The document alleges an argument ensued and the full-time electorate officer walked out of the office.

After discussing the argument with Mr Howe, the former staffer was told to take time off work, the application claims.

In relation to the allegation, the full-time electorate officer told the ABC it is "physically impossible to change a name in Feedback as that data is tied to the electorate roll and is view only".

A week later, the former staffer said she was called to a meeting with Mr Howe and a DLA staffer at parliament house.

The former staffer claims she was "ambushed" at the meeting and handed a letter proposing to terminate her employment, citing a "breakdown" in her working relationship with the full-time electorate officer.

The February 19 argument was listed as one of the four workplace incidents that led to the former part-time staffer's dismissal.

Initially, in the letter proposing her termination, it was alleged the former staffer had followed the full-time electorate officer out of the office and into the car park "while yelling at her".

However, that claim was withdrawn by the DLA following a subsequent request for CCTV by the former staffer's representative in her Fair Work application.

The former part-time staffer was officially terminated on March 20, and she is seeking reinstatement to her position at the same rate of pay.

Sacking raised in parliament

During Question Time last week, NT Labor Opposition Leader Selena Uibo asked a question about the unfair dismissal application to Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro.

Mrs Finocchiaro accused Ms Uibo of "gutter politics" by asking the question.

"Any time it's getting politically difficult for the opposition leader … she goes into the gutter," she said.