Independent MP Monique Ryan expressed ambitions to be a future prime minister and scolded her chief of staff for catching a plane while infected with COVID-19, court documents allege.
Explosive details describing a breakdown in Dr Ryan and her political staffer Sally Rugg's relationship have been released to the public, as the pair faced the Federal Court on Friday.
Ms Rugg is seeking urgent orders from the court to keep her job, while she pursues an unfair dismissal claim against the teal MP.
Her lawyers claim she was pushed or jostled into resigning from Dr Ryan's office after she refused to work unreasonable hours, however Dr Ryan alleges Ms Rugg resigned of her own volition.
Ms Rugg outlined a number of allegations against Dr Ryan in affidavits filed with the court, including that in a meeting the MP told her she expected her staff to work hard as she had ambitions to become prime minister.
"You don't understand, I need to be the best, this is bigger than Kooyong," she alleged Dr Ryan told her in November 2022.
"I want to be the prime minister one day, and I need to know my staff are prepared to work hard for me.
"If you are not prepared to work as hard as I want, I will need to consider my options."
Ms Rugg said Dr Ryan issued her with a formal warning after she flew home on a commercial plane after testing positive to COVID-19, which was not illegal at the time.
Dr Ryan, a medical practitioner, allegedly told Ms Rugg that flying while infected with the virus was a "media or brand risk" to her.
She then told Ms Rugg "I don't think your employment is working out", court documents claim.
Ms Rugg alleges Dr Ryan asked her to work more than 70 hours per week by performing community engagement work, including managing volunteers and events in the MP's Kooyong electorate.
Her barrister Angel Aleksov said Ms Rugg's salary of $136,000 plus parliamentary allowance of $30,000 was not enough for the additional hours she was working.
"Ordinary human experience tells us a salary of $130,000ish with top up of $30,000 does not justify someone working 70-plus hours a week, week in, week out," he told the court.
Dr Ryan's barrister Matthew Minucci said the MP denied all claims of contraventions against the Fair Work Act, that Ms Rugg was dismissed and allegations that the workplace was hostile.
Mr Aleksov said Ms Rugg wanted to return to work as an advisor for Dr Ryan, undertaking policy and media work, while her lawsuit continues.
Mr Minucci said Dr Ryan does not want to work with Ms Rugg again.
Justice Debra Mortimer flagged Ms Rugg's return to work may be unworkable, given the personal working relationship MPs had with staff.
The hearing continues.