A former Northern Territory deputy chief executive has taken the government to court, alleging she was unfairly sacked after allegedly speaking disrespectfully about Education Minister Jo Hersey, and claiming a later “loss of confidence” reason for her dismissal was a pretext, issued one minute after an earlier misconduct-based termination was withdrawn and just two days after she asserted her natural justice rights.
Catherine White has lodged a statement of claim in the Federal Court claiming she was unfairly sacked from her $300,000-a-year executive role in the Department of Education, which was extended for four years a little over six months before the process began to get rid of her.
I note with interest the Federal Court of Australia decision of Judge Steven Rares in [2022] FCA 622 Leggett v Hawkesbury Race Club Limited (No 4) (30 May 2022) where Judge Steven Rares awarded a former woman employee of the Hawkesbury Race Club $2.8 million in damages in a general protections claim pursuant to the Fair Work Act (Cth), after she was subject to a performance management process following a complaint she made about the Chief Executive Officer.
“speaking disrespectfully about Education Minister Jo Hersey”
I been speaking disrespectfully about Education Minister Jo Hersey since that fully qualified Hair Dresser got preselected over a real business person in Katherine……..
Nigel I wonder how much money the NT Government blows on legal fees and payouts for stupid HR drama’s! Its definitely not reported in their deparment annual reports
Of course its never reported, Nigel!
The Departments are happy to tens of thousands of tax payers dollars on scumbag lawyers to defend a $2000 matter!
The HR teams at NTG are all friends and family with the scum floating to the top at OCPE!
So Nigel Smith – you are an expert on this? With an unblemished record which gives you permission to denigrate someone?
Let us also not forget the other famous case that Senior NT bureaucrats and NT Politicians never want to discuss, the decision in the New South Wales Supreme Court – [2009] NSWSC 19 Sarah Lunn v The Northern Territory Commissioner for Public Employment (6 February 2009).