Jacqui Lambie goes on offensive over ex-staffers' unfair dismissal claims

Lucy Mac Donald (ABC News)

Senator Jacqui Lambie has told a court two of her former staff members were trying to "belittle" and "shame" her when they sent a letter to then-prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, detailing their list of grievances with her.

Unfair Dismissal

The senator's former chief of staff and office manager, Rob and Fern Messenger, have taken her to the Federal Court, alleging they were unfairly dismissed in May 2017 after raising workplace health and safety issues.

The pair worked for Senator Lambie for about three years, covering her time as a Palmer United Party senator and eventual transition to independence.

Giving evidence on Monday, Senator Lambie told the court it was not until her second term in Federal Parliament that she began to suspect there was "something going on in the office".

She said the catalyst was a conversation with the Messengers who told her "staff were walking around on eggshells" and had "made complaints about [her] mood swings".

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