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Fair Work commissioner Sophie Mirabella has had her caseload altered after the former Liberal MP was caught up in legal proceedings, while her husband, former senator Greg Mirabella, has been charged with assault.
Sophie Mirabella, who represented the Victorian federal seat of Indi for 12 years, has been entangled in court proceedings that cannot be identified for legal reasons.
Former Liberal MP Sophie Mirabella. James Brickwood
Responding to the matter, workplace watchdog the Fair Work Commission told The Age it had changed Mirabella’s caseload.
“The commission is aware of this matter and has adjusted the types of cases allocated to the commissioner having regard to her personal circumstances,” a spokesperson said.
“The commission won’t be making any further comment.”
The commission declined to say which cases would be removed from Mirabella’s list, whether existing cases had been reassigned or how long the new arrangements would be in place.
Mirabella, 57, lost the seat of Indi in the state’s north-east to independent Cathy McGowan in 2013 after 12 years in parliament.
She was appointed to the national workplace tribunal in 2021 by the Morrison government and receives a total remuneration package worth more than $430,400 a year.
Former Victorian Liberal Party president Greg Mirabella.Simon Schluter
Her appointment was considered controversial at the time. Labor argued that having a former frontbench Liberal MP as a commissioner risked politicising the independent workplace umpire.
The tribunal adjudicates industrial relations cases, including unfair dismissal claims, enterprise bargaining disputes and workplace bullying disputes.
The matter comes weeks after The Border Mail reported that Greg Mirabella, who served as a senator for Victoria before the 2022 federal election as well as president of the Victorian Liberal Party, was charged with assault-related offences.
The 65-year-old’s case is to return to court next month.
Sophie Mirabella hung up when contacted for comment, and Greg Mirabella said he could not respond to questions when contacted by The Age.
Five sources who know the pair but spoke on condition of anonymity told The Age the couple had recently separated.
Greg Mirabella was elected president of the Victorian Liberal Party in 2022. Before entering politics he was an army officer from 1998 to 2007 and a farmer.
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Rachael Ward is a journalist in the City team at The Age. Contact her at rachael.ward@theage.com.auConnect via email.From our partners