Rachelle Miller, a former employee of the federal coalition, will get a $650,000 taxpayer-funded compensation for harms sustained while working in two ministerial offices.
The agreement was reached after Ms. Miller accused former minister Alan Tudge of abusing her physically while they were having a consensual relationship. She also accused him of tormenting her at work when she was an employee of liberal senator Michaelia Cash.
The Commonwealth did not accept fault, despite the fact that the settlement includes payments for lost wages, harm, grief, and humiliation as well as medical and legal expenses.
Ms. Miller said she was not coerced into signing a non-disclosure agreement on the settlement and that she wanted to be open about its specifics.
For harm, grief, embarrassment, disruption of life, loss of professional standing, and loss of personal dignity, the Commonwealth awarded Ms. Miller $300,000.
In addition, she received $28,000 in compensation for previous medical and similar expenditures, $62,000 in reimbursement for future medical expenses, and $110,000 in compensation for lost past and future earning potential. She was then given an additional $150,000 to pay her legal fees.
The overwhelming response I received from the public was that publicly elected politicians were engaged and that taxpayer money was being used to pay for this. She said on Tuesday on ABC Radio, “Doesn’t the taxpayer have a right to know how this money has been paid?”
The issue of openness around the complaint procedure and complaint results is a significant component of the Jenkins review, which is why I came up.
According to Ms. Miller, she was not likely to file a lawsuit in federal court to force the Commonwealth to acknowledge culpability.
Given that I’ve already been battling this since 2020 and that it has already taken a considerable personal and health toll, she continued, “This is a tremendous choice for me.”
The absence of a non-disclosure clause “was a persuader,” according to the speaker.
Mr. Tudge vehemently refuted the accusations.
Ms. Miller did not take part in the investigation that determined there was insufficient evidence that Mr. Tudge had violated ministerial standards.
Following her experiences, Ms. Miller said that it was doubtful that the coalition would alter its internal arrangements.
They have their heads firmly in the sand, she said, and no one from the Liberal Party has ever been in touch with her to inquire about or discuss her experiences.
“I know there are many, many staff members currently employed at (Parliament House) or who have previously worked there who will never come out and they won’t speak out due to the penalties, and that simply needs to change,” she said.
Penny Wong, the foreign minister, expressed her optimism that the legal matter had been resolved in Ms Miller’s favour on ABC Radio.
She stated, “I hope this situation has been settled in a manner that brings her some closure of this very tough era in her life. She’s clearly gone through a very difficult time.”
Ms. Miller said that neither the settlement nor her experiences in parliament should define her.
She said, “I don’t want to always be the lady in the red dress, which is sort of how a lot of people have referred to me.”
I wish to go and pursue my own interests and progress.