Seven plunged into new legal fight over Spotlight show

Channel Seven has been plunged into more controversy with a former journalist launching legal action over her ‘hostile working environment’ at the Spotlight program.

Channel Seven has been plunged into more controversy with a former journalist launching legal action claiming her time working at the Spotlight program was a hostile working environment for women.

Amelia Saw has launched legal action in the Federal Court of Australia for compensation from Seven claiming the program was a hostile working environment for women among other allegations.

She is suing the network under the Fair Work Act for “general breach of protections”.

Amelia Saw, former journalist, suing Channel Seven over her time working for the controversial Spotlight program. Pic Supplied.

Ms Saw worked at the troubled program for about a year in 2022 before moving to the public relations job with the NSW Government.

The former journalist is set to file an explosive statement of claim with the court, which names several high profile Seven employees.

She launched the case on September 6 and Seven is yet to file a defence.

The Saturday Telegraph understands the claim does not involve allegations of sexual harassment.

On Friday, Justice Nye Perram ordered the warring parties into mediation.

Former Channel 7 reporter Robert Ovadia sued the network but later dropped the action. Source: Supplied.

Seven’s barrister Vanja Bulut told the court her client did not see the “utility” of a mediation session because letters had been exchanged between the two parties prior to coming to court.

“Prior to the proceedings being commenced there were attempts to reach resolution and that was not useful,” Ms Bulut told the court.

Ms Saw’s lawyer Lisa Doust told the judge it was “worth having a crack” at mediation.

Justice Perram ordered Ms Saw’s legal team to provide a more detailed statement fo claim by September 27.

He then ordered Seven to file and serve a defence to the claim by October 18 with Ms Saw to issue any response to that by November 1.

Ms Saw declined to comment.

But a Seven spokesman said: “Seven Network strongly and categorically rejects the allegations by Amelia Saw as reported by media today”.

Former Seven network Spotlight producer Taylor Auerbach. Picture:AAP

The case comes as yet another public relations disaster for Seven.

The network’s workplace culture was recently the subject of an investigation by the ABC’s Four Corners program.

It has also been dealing with damaging headlines from the sacking of long serving journalist Robert Ovadia.

Mr Ovadia sued Seven for wrongful dismissal, but dropped the case two weeks ago siting the expense and emotional toll of fighting his former employer in court which he accused of seeking to destroy his reputation via its “propaganda unit”.

Seven claimed in court that 13 women had come forward with complaints about Ovadia’s conduct.

The network was dragged into the Bruce Lehrmann defamation case when former Spotlight producer Taylor Auerbach took to the evidence stand and claimed the program had provided the former political staffer with drugs and prostitutes in exchange for an exclusive interview.

Justice Perram ordered Ms Saw and Seven to engage in mediation between November 1 and 30.

The matter continues.