Amber Harrison recruits top human rights lawyer ahead of courtroom showdown with Seven
THE former mistress of Seven CEO Tim Worner has recruited top human rights lawyer Julian Burnside QC ahead of her courtroom showdown with her former employer.
NSW
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THE former mistress of Seven CEO Tim Worner has recruited top human rights lawyer Julian Burnside QC ahead of her courtroom showdown with her former employer.
Mr Burnside told the Supreme Court yesterday the former Seven West Media executive assistant Amber Harrison, who blew the whistle on her two-year affair with Mr Worner, would be counter-suing the broadcaster for failing to provide a safe place of employment.
The counter claim took Seven lawyers by surprise who are trying to put a permanent gag–order on Ms Harrison preventing her from continuing to publish sensitive and scandalous material to the public.
Mr Burnside asked for the case to be transferred to the Federal Court where workplace matters are heard.
The human rights lawyer and staunch refugee advocate flew from Melbourne to represent Ms Harrison in the explosive case.
Ms Harrison left Seven in 2014 after exposing her two-year affair with Mr Worner to management.
When she left Ms Harrison signed a deed of agreement where Seven would pay her in instalments a total of $427,418 including $100,000 for “alleged injury, including loss of professional standing and reputation”.
In return Ms Harrison agreed not to speak about the affair for say anything disparaging about her employer.
Seven claims she broke that agreement in December last year when she went public about the affair.
But Ms Harrison says the agreement had already been rescinded by Seven’s failure to pay.
The messy fight has drawn in both Channel Seven chairman Kerry Stokes and board member and former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett who have both publicly attacked Ms Harrison.
Counsel for Seven, David Thomas, asked for time to consider the Fair Work Act in light of Ms Harrison’s counter-claim
Justice John Sacker adjourned the case to April 6.
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