Senior firefighter claims boss labelled her 'an overly emotional woman'

A senior firefighter has accused the deputy chief of the Northern Territory Fire and Rescue Service of sex discrimination, alleging he labelled her an "overly emotional woman who was not coping."

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as an overly emotional woman who was not coping

Jo-Anna Kenney, who served with the NTFRS for five years, claims Deputy Chief Fire Officer Stephen Hunter initiated a formal process to address concerns about her emails and a text message. She alleges this was handled less favorably than a man would have been treated in a similar situation.

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handled concerns about emails and a text message she had written in a way which was less favourable to how a man would have been treated in a similar situation

According to documents filed with the NT Civil and Administrative Tribunal, Ms Kenney contends Mr Hunter raised concerns about her communication style and wellbeing without prior discussions about performance. She asserts these concerns would not have been raised if she were a man, and that she was characterized as emotional rather than a strong leader.

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did not believe she should be performing higher duties due to her communication style and concern for her wellbeing, without having previously raised any concerns about wellbeing or work performance

The Anti-Discrimination Commission has referred the dispute to the NT Civil and Administrative Tribunal, which has scheduled a directions hearing for Friday in Darwin.

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raising concerns about a direct communication style which would not have been identified if she had been a man