‘Bitch flog’: Qld public servant’s foul tirade at boss in work chats revealed

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A public servant of more than four decades messaged his colleagues about “bitch flogging” a female boss with a plank of wood with rusty nails, and compared her to Star Wars character Jabba the Hutt, a commission has heard.

Craig Ronald Servin, a former principal inspector with the Office of Industrial Relations, will face discipline over the allegations – described as body-shaming and the encouragement of gendered violence toward women in leadership roles – which he sought to appeal in the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission.

Craig Servin was working for the Office of Industrial Relations at the time of the allegations. He now works for the Department of Transport and Main Roads.

Craig Servin was working for the Office of Industrial Relations at the time of the allegations. He now works for the Department of Transport and Main Roads. Credit: Youtube

In December 2024, Servin was accused of sending a Jabba the Hut meme in a work group chat about the executive director, captioning it: “Just sitting back on a Friday afternoon, guzzling a vat of chardy, eyeing off the hapless beast she’s about to swallow whole, thinking about the human detritus and carnage she’s caused during the week…and thinking…life is good at the top!”

He also allegedly expressed his desire for her to be hit by a meteor, and contended that the size of the required meteor would destroy the planet.

In messages in January this year, Servin replied to a message of a grim reaper overlaid with the words: “All those in favor [sic] of bitch slapping stupid people say...hell yes!!” . Servin replied saying: “Hell yes! I’m closest so if I get everyone’s proxy I will bitch flog her for everyone!”

He also said: “Are you allowed to use a piece of 4x2 with rusty nails projecting out the slapping end. Hate to use my hand and accidentally miss, hit her arse and lose my arm!”

As part of his appeal, Servin said the investigation began without a formal complaint, and the disciplinary action was triggered by a post-exit forensic review of his computer, which he said “appears to have been conducted as a speculative fishing expedition”.

Servin also claimed messages on his personal phone were downloaded.

He said the material used in the disciplinary process were obtained through an unauthorised search of his computer.

The department says the circumstances in which it became aware of the conduct was ultimately irrelevant and rejected any suggestion the information was accessed illegally.

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Servin said his efforts of acknowledging the conduct, and submitting comprehensive mitigation including an apology, post conduct training records, a reflective journal, and referee reports, were largely dismissed and minimised.

He described his actions as “poorly judged” and he had expressed his concerns “in a way that was sarcastic, pessimistic, or undermining”, and admitted the messages were unprofessional and clearly disrespectful and clearly caused offence and hurt.

Servin said the process had caused him significant emotional distress and reputational damage.

“I have been isolated from my professional network within OIR and relationships with supportive former colleagues and friends have been severed, which has adversely affected my self-worth and emotional well-being,” he said.

The department said Servin’s appeal was predicated on an assumption that his admissions, alleged mitigation and self-assessed rehabilitation absolved him from liability from the disciplinary findings.

The department said while it acknowledged participation in the disciplinary process may cause distress, it did not mean the process was unfair or unreasonable.

Industrial Commissioner Samantha Pidgeon ultimately upheld a previous decision by Deputy Director General Donna Heelan that Servin was guilty of misconduct.

Pidgeon found Servin had not persuaded her in his argument, including that the process had been procedurally unfair, was improperly initiated, involved unlawful evidence or breaches of privacy, involved a biased decision-maker.

The commissioner said while it may be that Servin was “venting”, he was still a very experienced employee and was working as a principal inspector. She described the conduct as improper and inappropriate.

“He was tasked with ensuring safe and healthy workplaces,” Pidgeon said in her decision.

“The message exchange, undertaken in a private capacity but amongst work colleagues, included body-shaming and encouragement of gendered violence toward women in leadership roles.”

Servin now works for the Department of Transport and Main Roads.

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