NSW state officials had been aware of concerns raised by staffers of Eleni Petinos months before bullying allegations were made public in late July, a budget estimates hearing was told on Wednesday.
Speaking at the hearing, Department of Customer Service secretary Emma Hogan said that she had received complaints – though not formal ones – over the former fair trading and small business minister’s behaviour as early as April.
Ms Hogan added that she communicated these to Ms Petinos a month later.
“There were probably two things … one was concerns about respectful behaviour in meetings and another was about some cultural concerns that had been raised with me about working in her office,” Ms Hogan said.
Ms Petinos was let go from the ministerial post on 31 July, after an anonymous complaint accused her of bullying a male staffer.
The bullying allegations had been raised in media reports just a day before Ms Petinos was asked to vacate the ministerial portfolios.
“I have implemented as Premier the strongest public workplace procedures and practices anywhere in the country … to ensure confidence, particularly for people who are in a workplace where they don’t feel safe,” NSW Premier Dominic Perrottett had said of the decision.
But according to new details that emerged, Mr Perrottett was also aware of complaints made months before Ms Petinos’ sacking, News.com.au reported.
In his statements, the Premier also said that the former minister had offered to resign during a phone conversation they had just after the bullying allegations became known.
“She said during the phone call that, ‘If it would help you, I would resign.’ There was no basis for her to do that. I returned, I made my own inquiries, and my own decision (to fire her),” Mr Perrottet stated.
