A FORMER Newman government staffer says he suffered a breakdown after working in the "dysfunctional" office of former arts minister Ros Bates.
Peter Epstein, who has terminal cancer, was a senior adviser in Ms Bates' ministerial office for three months before he claims he was forced to resign in July last year.
He is pursuing compensation for psychological injury in the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission after WorkCover rejected his claim.
On the second day of hearings, Mr Epstein told the commission he was a senior policy advisor who was forced to take on media adviser duties without extra pay.
He said requests for help with the overwhelming workload were ignored even as he battled non-Hodgkin lymphoma, after a 2010 diagnosis gave him two years to live.
Mr Epstein says Ms Bates refused his request to work part time and he was bullied into resigning by another senior staffer, who threatened to make up "all sorts of stuff" about him and have him frogmarched from the building.
"I was a physical and emotional wreck," Mr Epstein told the commission, adding that he was bedridden for days and prescribed anti-depressants.
The commission heard Mr Epstein told a doctor that he had concerns about the way Ms Bates' office was being run, including omissions in her lobbyist register, instances of nepotism and her failure to declare fundraising donations.
He also worried Ms Bates was an alcoholic who had suffered two falls while drunk, according to part of the doctor's report which was read out by WorkCover barrister Charles Clark.
Mr Epstein denied that his mental breakdown was caused by his illness, family problems or a demotion at work.
Ms Bates resigned as arts and IT minister in February following nepotism allegations and questions over her contact with lobbyists and taking of extended leave.
The hearing continues on Thursday, with Ms Bates expected to give evidence on Thursday or Friday.
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