Cancer Council Queensland in turmoil as former research boss alleges bullying
A former research director at Cancer Council Queensland has launched a lawsuit against the charity, alleging bullying and wrongful dismissal by the organisation's chief executive. The dispute has raised questions about the charity's service levels and operations.
A high-profile dispute has erupted at Queensland's leading cancer charity, with a former research director alleging she was bullied and unfairly dismissed by the organisation's chief executive.
Sandi Hayes, who previously led research at Cancer Council Queensland, has launched a lawsuit against the charity, its CEO Matt Gardiner, and recently appointed chairman Todd Everitt. The lawsuit claims Dr Hayes was wrongfully terminated after she raised concerns about Mr Gardiner's behaviour.
Background of the dispute
Cancer Council Queensland is a well-established charity that provides support to cancer patients, including counselling, accommodation, and research into early cancer detection. The organisation has faced significant challenges in recent years, including high staff turnover and financial difficulties.
Dr Hayes's lawsuit claims that her working relationship with Mr Gardiner became increasingly dysfunctional, leading to her being told not to contact him directly. The lawsuit also alleges that Dr Hayes faced accusations about her conduct, including an incident at an August meeting with nine organisation executives.
Allegations of bullying and misconduct
According to Dr Hayes's filings, she alleged that Mr Gardiner bullied her and engaged in inappropriate behaviour. The defence filings, however, claim that Dr Hayes was hostile and disrespectful towards Mr Gardiner and others.
"Cancer Council Queensland is becoming increasingly effective, increasingly influential and increasingly capable of creating a future where fewer Queenslanders experience cancer," Mr Gardiner said in a statement.
"For more than a year, a small group of former employees have pursued a campaign of damaging rumours, misinformation and unsupported allegations."
Investigation and mediation
The charity's defence filings claim that an internal investigation found no wrongdoing by Mr Gardiner, and that Dr Hayes was terminated due to her inability to work with him without posing a health and safety risk.
Despite mediation attempts, Dr Hayes was ultimately fired in February. The lawsuit is ongoing, with Dr Hayes seeking resolution on her claims of bullying and wrongful dismissal.
Impact on services and operations
The dispute has raised questions about the charity's service levels and operations. While the organisation claims that service levels have risen, including 26,575 bed nights provided at accommodation centres, up 8.6 per cent, and financial counselling services for 287 people, up 23 per cent, some sources suggest that staff satisfaction levels have dropped.
The charity has reported a significant improvement in its financial performance, with a profit of $3.24 million in the last financial year, following a loss of $4.1 million in 2025.