Dorinda Cox, former WA Greens senator, made waves this week. She shocked many observers this week by announcing her defection to the Labor government. The announcement, made alongside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Perth on Monday, comes amid lingering allegations of bullying within her office. The political landscape is changing quickly. Unfortunately, as it does, troubling questions remain about the seriousness with which these allegations are being treated, and Indigenous voices are being represented within each respective party.
After a dramatic recent history, Cox has found his home in the Labor caucus. The period saw an influx of complaints by former staffers about alleged workplace bullying. It’s the third year in a row that twenty-plus staffers have departed her office. Many of them had their complaints still outstanding with the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service (PWSS). Even with these serious allegations, Albanese publicly welcomed Cox to the government, praising her. In her case, he claimed they had handled the allegations against her “in the right way.”
Allegations of Bullying and Staff Departures
The complaint filed against Dorinda Cox has raised some serious questions about what she did while acting as a Continuing Senate senator. Former staffer Esther Montgomery expressed dissatisfaction with the resolution of complaints made to the PWSS, stating that their concerns felt “unfinished.”
Montgomery criticized the limitations of the PWSS, explaining, “The problem with PWSS is they actually have no powers. All they can do is make recommendations, that’s the problem.” This criticism does unveil some long-weathered frustrations with Cox’s office. It shines a light on an alarming new accountability gap for resolving workplace grievances.
Many staff have since left, raising eyebrows about Labor’s choice to adopt Cox. Former senator Matt Canavan is just one of those raising alarm bells. He emphasized the need for transparency regarding the allegations against her, saying: “The question for the prime minister is, did the Labor Party contact these people and speak to them because they are allegations, but they’re serious ones.”
A Heated Exchange and Political Fallout
Cox’s transition to Labor has not been without controversy. After her failed leadership challenge within the Greens, she was said to have had a furious argument with compatriot senator Larissa Waters. Although Waters was coy about whether Cox advised her to “grow a spine,” she stated, “Well, look, in all honesty, I can’t remember that. But there was a lot going on that day.”
The exchange once again underscores tensions brewing within the Greens caucus. Beyond that, it poses key questions about how personal animosities can shape broader partisan conflicts. Waters remarked on her limited knowledge of the circumstances surrounding the allegations against Cox, stating, “They’re confidential. So I must confess, I am not across a lot of the details of them.”
The Future of Indigenous Representation
Within Cox’s resignation from the Greens, debates have arisen around the spaces — and absence thereof — of Indigenous representation within political parties. The Greens did not take kindly to these suggestions about their representation once she left. Opponents argue that shifting tides of coalitions might compromise the emergence of Indigenous voices in state government.
It is a fortuitous time for Cox to arrive, as Albanese’s administration appears focused on making Indigenous issues a priority. Amanda Rishworth, Minister for Social Services, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to advancing Indigenous rights, stating: “That is a really top priority of ours.” Ms Rishworth conceded while important changes could be made, legislative processes involved careful consultation and legislative drafting before major changes could be implemented.
Dorinda Cox’s entry into the Labor ranks raises alarms and questions about her past behavior. How she will address Indigenous representation remains to be seen as she steps into her new role. Her experiences with workplace complaints as an employee now deeply inform her role as a public servant. This kind of familiar connection will prove to be irresistible to sustained media scrutiny.
