Triple M radio staff voice concerns over response to on-air blow up

Triple M staff have voiced concerns to management about the station’s culture after the explosive on-air walk out of one of its top weekend hosts.

Triple M management said it is dealing with the issue internally after an explosive walk out on one of its top weekend radio shows.

Parent company Southern Cross Austereo took nearly 24 hours to respond after being contacted by The Daily Telegraph over the incident, which took place on Sunday as veteran broadcaster Anthony Maroon stormed out of the studio.

“On Sunday 1 May, during Triple M’s NRL broadcast, the on air team Anthony Maroon, Gordon Tallis, Paul Kent and James Hooper had a disagreement which led to Maroon leaving the broadcast,” a brief response read.

“SCA is managing the issue internally.”

It’s understood Triple M employees have voiced their concerns with management about the incident and how it’s been handled.

Anthony Maroon on Triple M.

It’s believed station management weren’t even aware of the on-air blowup until it was published in the media.

Behind closed doors, senior employees are understood to be sick of the “boys will be boys culture” at the station and have told management to change it.

Maroon is yet to respond to requests for comment.

Gus Worland, the host of the drive show on Triple M and the founder of mental health charity Gotcha 4 Life, has confirmed to The Daily Telegraph that he’s spoken to Maroon and is supporting him.

On Wednesday, 2GB radio host Ray Hadley hit out at the response from Triple M management, saying: “I’m not sure Triple M bosses have heard the audio the rest of us have heard. If they think three blokes ganging up on one who repeatedly asked them to stop is a “disagreement”, that’s as concerning as the incident itself.”

2GB host Ray Hadley suggested Triple M management sit down with Gus Worland who works with Gotcha 4 Life. Picture Renee Nowytarger / The Australian

“Perhaps they can manage it ‘internally’ by sitting down with another one of their presenters Gus Worland who does outstanding work with Gotcha 4 Life focusing on men’s mental health.”

On Sunday, Maroon took umbrage when sports journalist James Hooper jokingly questioned the anchor over cash jobs and the Australian Taxation Office.

“Mate I don’t think it is funny, it has already caused me a lot of grief,” Maroon said as the awkward exchange played out on air. “I am not putting up with it anymore. I don’t like it. I have asked many times for it to stop. I am saying here and now, I am not even joking … I tell you what, I will leave you guys with it okay.”

Kent took over anchoring the show for the remaining hour before the Dragons v Tigers game at the weekend.

Earlier, Maroon warned his co-hosts that he would share stories about them that they don’t want made public if they continued to push the issue. As they continued, he detailed that Hooper is unable to drive after losing his licence and made reference to Tallis.

Gorden Tallis, Anthony Maroon and James Hooper.

Hooper said: “Hang on a minute, there is some breaking news here, I just got a text message … ‘hello this is the ATO, the Australian Taxation Office, we have an inquiry’.”

Maroon responded: “I don’t have a problem with the ATO, I welcome it mate but I am just wondering when are you going to be back on the road Hoops?”

Hooper then said: “Why are you jumping around like a cat on a hot tin roof?”

The incident escalated dramatically from there.

“I am fed up with it,” Maroon said. “I have asked you on air, I have asked you off air, I have asked you to stop and now I have told you I am hitting back. If I have got to cop it every week for five years, lets have it out on air. This is absolute bull***. We might get a walkout.”

Paul Kent.

Anthony Maroon from Triple M.

Maroon said he had raised the issue with management but had heard “crickets”.

“Lets keep going boys because when it comes to you three, I live a very boring life,” Maroon said. “I am blowing up because I am sick to death of it. Now I have known for three years you have not had a licence and I have not said anything on air. I have warned you 15 times, I don’t like this. I have been on air for 32 years, I am a professional. This particular issue I have probably raised on air and off air I don’t know 100 times. I have even sent emails to the powers that be … nothing. It never stops.”

Hadley played the exchange on his show on Tuesday, criticising Triple M management at Southern Cross Austereo for not intervening sooner.

“He (Maroon) says in the audio he has been to management and they have done nothing,” Hadley told listeners. “Knowing what I know of Southern Cross management I am not at all surprised, they are as weak as water. There is no leadership there and there should be.”

Describing the situation as distressing and “embarrassing”, Hadley added: “What happened on Sunday should not have happened.