IRT chief operating officer Craig Hamer emailed a letter to Mr Lee “terminating your employment for misconduct” because he talked to the Times.

Mr Lee aired his grievances to the Times over IRT’s negative and punitive reaction against him and sacked IRT colleague Shane Lyttle highlighting a number of In-Home Care (IHC) work practices that alarmed them.

Mr Lee is “devastated, dumbfounded. I just did my job”.

“They said in a previous letter last week they were looking forward to discussing the matters directly with me, and now they have sacked me while not being true to their word,” Mr Lee said.

“How they can still go ahead and do this? This is unjust.”

NSW South Coast MP Shelley Hancock, who strongly supports both Mr Lee and Mr Lyttle, had already branded IRT's previous written threat to discipline Mr Lee or sack him for talking to the Times “an absolute disgrace”.

Today Mrs Hancock said “I am extremely disappointed to learn that Eddie Lee’s employment has been terminated”.

“As I have previously said, Eddie is a much loved and respected member of the community and this action by his employer will sadden and confuse our community,” she said.

“Eddie made contact with the media out of frustration with his employer and it is personally disappointing to me that his personal grievances were not seemingly addressed appropriately.

“This very disappointing situation in my view could have been avoided months ago.”

IRT will pay Mr Lee in lieu of notice.

“His employment was terminated with notice following a series of performance and behaviour related matters over a number of months, most recently a serious breach of IRT's code of conduct,” said the company’s spokesman.

On Monday, Federal Gilmore MP Ann Sudmalis backgrounded Federal Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, Ken Wyatt, over the conflict.

Mr Wyatt is asking his department for more background on the case and Mrs Sudmalis is pushing to arrange a meeting between Lee, Lyttle and the Minister as soon as possible.

IRT senior staff previously declined Mrs Sudmalis’ offer to broker a peace meeting between the parties.

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