00:00Hello, I'm Jo Tenoske, I'm the Chief of Staff.
00:05Trusted to meet with foreign leaders and let in on the most sensitive discussions, but
00:10today speaking out.
00:12I am the most senior female Chief of Staff on the Hill and my workplace is not safe.
00:18With a lawyer by her side alleging she was bullied out of her job.
00:23Jo Tenoske says on her way home from this trip to Ukraine earlier this year, she raised
00:28concerns with Richard Miles about office bullying, not by him, but her own staff.
00:34When she raised that concern, his response was to take her job away from her.
00:39Not technically sacked, but shifted to another role, she says her access to the office has
00:44been restricted and she hasn't heard from him for months.
00:48The way that I have been treated has been cowardly, cruel and completely unnecessary.
00:55Not detailing the specific bullying allegations or what she wants, other than accountability
01:01from those involved.
01:02I have been plagued with nightmares, flashbacks, symptoms of depression and anxiety, panic
01:09attacks and suicidal thoughts.
01:12Responding in a statement, a spokesperson for Mr Miles says a number of the assertions
01:17and recollections are contested, before the Minister answered questions in the chamber.
01:22The way in which I've tried to manage this, I have done so with Jo's welfare in mind at
01:29every moment.
01:30New procedures have been put in place in this unique workplace to deal with claims of bullying
01:35and harassment.
01:36Though this case would seem to show that dealing with contested allegations isn't always straightforward,
01:43especially when they play out in public.
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