Don Burke declares ‘I’m no Harvey Weinstein’ after sexual harassment allegations
CHANNEL Nine says TV star Don Burke would not be welcomed back following sexual harassment allegations. The network’s comments come as the embattled garden guru declares: “I’m happy ... this is my story, you make up your mind”.
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TV gardener Don Burke has declared he is no Harvey Weinstein.
The target of what the former TV host has described as “false and defamatory claims” made by a number of women who worked with him on his former top-rating Burke’s Backyard show in the 1980s and 90s, Burke has denied claims of bullying and sexual harassment.
A joint ABC/Fairfax investigation reports on allegations that Burke was a “psychotic bully”, a “misogynist” and a “sexual predator” who sexually harassed and bullied a number of female employees.
The claims reportedly come from more than 50 people who worked with Burke in the late 1980s and 1990s.
At his height, Burke was one of the most popular personalities on TV.
He has linked the attacks on him to the media outrage that followed the outing of the powerful boss Harvey Weinstein as a serial sexual abuser and harasser.
“I loathe the behaviour of Mr Weinstein and hope that the legal system deals with him in such a way as to prevent this happening again,” Burke said in a statement released through his lawyer Patrick George.
“I also believed this publication is opportunistic and intended to severely damage my reputation, by trying to link my alleged behaviour with the appalling behaviour of Harvey Weinstein which has gained a lot of media traction.”
READ MORE: Footage of Don Burke emerges — ‘Are your boobs real?’
While he stepped back from the spotlight after Burke’s Backyard ended, Burke still featured in Nine’s A Current Affair as a guest reporter as recently as December last year.
A Current Affair host Tracy Grimshaw has recorded an exclusive interview with Burke that will air on tonight’s show.
Ahead of the interview, ACA released a snippet of the interview, which included Mr Burke saying he was happy to address allegations.
“I’m happy to say to the people of Australia that this is my story,” he said.
“If you make up your mind that I’m the most evil person that ever lived that’s your decision.”
Grimshaw arrived at Burke’s Kenthurst rural property this afternoon, with a crew of four cars.
The A Current Affair host was interviewing Burke for about an hour, before the crews left.
However, the broadcaster confirmed the TV star would not be welcomed back following the sexual harassment allegations.
“He is no longer doing any stories for Nine,” a spokeswoman said.
Channel Nine said the network no longer aired Burke’s Backyard re-runs.
The gardening show was officially axed in 2004.
Two former employees of the Nine Network have been gagged by confidentiality agreements which prevent them from speaking about Don Burke allegations, the network revelled.
Channel Nine this afternoon released a statement but refused to comment on the specific allegations laid against Burke.
“The allegations are extremely serious; the behaviour described is completely unacceptable and would not be tolerated at Nine today.
“Nine has zero tolerance of sexual harassment and workplace bullying and no employee should be subjected to this kind of behaviour. Everyone is entitled to come to work confident that our workplace is safe, free from harassment and unacceptable behaviour will be dealt with effectively.
“Nine has robust policies and procedures for dealing with complaints and to support staff in such circumstances.”
Environmental group Landcare Australia, who counts Burke as a former board member, said it had “no plans” to work with him “now or in the future”.
“Landcare Australia was not aware of the allegations against Don Burke that have come out in the media today, and we have no plans to work with Mr Burke now or in the future,” a spokeswoman told The Daily Telegraph.
“In addition, we have removed him from our website”.
A spokesman for the Governor-general said they were “unable to comment” on whether Burke would lose his Order of Australia medal.
“We are unable to comment on individual cases regarding the consideration of the termination or cancellation of an award in the Order of Australia,” he said.
“We can advise that the Council for the Order of Australia investigates matters brought to its attention and considers each case individually. After due process, as outlined in the Terminations and Cancellations Ordinance of the Constitution of the Order of Australia, the Council recommends appropriate action to the Governor-General as the Chancellor of the Order. Any decision made by the Governor-General is on the advice of the Council.”
Full statement by Don Burke:
I am deeply hurt and outraged at the false and defamatory claims made in your correspondence. It is evident that these baseless claims concern statements from a few ex-employees of CTC Productions who bear grudges against me.
In particular, the most injurious and defamatory of claims seem to have come from one particular ex-employee who has had medically diagnosed, serious and continuing mental health issues.
While I am very empathetic to this ex-employee’s mental health issues, I request that the background and the credibility of the statements be verified before any statements are relied upon as fact.
MORE: Viewers slam Channel 9 ‘boys’ club’ that kept Don Burke rumours a secret
I also believe that this publication is opportunistic and intended to severely damage my reputation, by trying to link my alleged behaviour with the appalling behaviour of Harvey Weinstein, which has gained a tot of media traction.
I loathe the reported behaviour of Mr Weinstein and hope that the legal system deals with him in such a way as to prevent this happening again.
The bitter irony is that I have had a lifelong opposition to sexism and misogyny. Burke’s Backyard (’BBY’) was a lone bastion of anti-misogyny from its inception in 1987.
This was evidenced by me deliberately choosing many women to be regular presenters on this program who were there because they were the very best in their field — truly outstanding women like Densey Clyne, Rosemary Stanton and Jackie French (who was awarded Senior Australian of the Year a few years back).
These women, in Jackie French’s own words, were not the typical media females aged under 30 and with “Barbie-Doll figures” and Don faced considerable opposition to having them on prime-time TV.
MORE: BURKE DENIES BEING A ‘VILE, VILE HUMAN’
They were there because they deserved to be there.
The media has never appeared to notice this anti-misogyny. Even the most cursory of glances at BBY should have evidenced this obvious fact.
For the record, in this matter, I believe I am a classic sitting duck.
I created the program BBY. I became co-executive producer of it and was co-director of CTC productions, the company which made BBY.
I am a sitting duck because I was also the main presenter of this eponymously-named program. This is almost unheard of in the television world. I largely ran the program and oversaw the hiring and firing of employees.
Inevitably, this led to me being involved in the dismissal of some employees who underperformed or who behaved in an improper manner. Accordingly, there would be a small number of these ex-employees who still bear a strong grudge against me.
It is evident, that you have obviously been dealing with these ex-employees and as indicated above, you need to do proper screening and background checks in order to publish an accurate report of events.
I absolutely dispute the claims of bullying, and wish to point out that BBY was a prime time TV show where excellence was essential. If even one or two employees in the BBY team were below standard, this could lead to the cancelling of the program and the loss of the jobs of about 40 people.
This is the nature of prime time TV. So yes, there was pressure on each and every member of the BBY team to perform at a high level. My perfectionist management was the prime reason for BBY lasting 18 years on prime time TV.
These untrue claims will inevitably destroy my ability to perform my extensive charity work such as my 25-year plus association with Retina Australia (youth blindness).
It will also destroy my association with Asbestos Awareness, where for over 10 years I have tirelessly worked to save the lives of renovators and tradespeople.
I am also associated with charity work of the Psychiatric department of Concord Hospital and many other charities and community groups. These untrue claims will also destroy my income for the rest of my life.
I have solid relationships with Scotts Australia, Celebrity Speakers, and many other groups. Already these mischievous claims have led to some thousands of dollars of cancellations of appearances.
Now, I respond to the specifics of these intentionally destructive claims:
• The rooftop incident never occurred either then or to any other female ever.
• The Alice Springs story never occurred. BBY did not take researchers when filming and I can find no record of this event. No such inappropriate behaviour occurred with anyone and no such video has ever been sighted by me. I did not and would not show anything like that to anyone, male or female. No foot pushing or similar episode ever occurred and no comments concerning not working out ever occurred.
• My staff and I regarded the CTC productions workplace as being a very safe workplace and I am very happy to provide female and male witnesses to affirm this.
• The intoxication story is not true.
• The story about the reporter quoting me is a total fabrication.
• The other reporter story is also a fabrication.
• BBY’s long-term receptionist is a dear friend of mine and no such words were ever uttered by me.
• I never commented on the body shape of any family member.
• No payouts were ever made, nor were any complaints of this nature ever received by me or anyone in his company. I also was never informed of any complaints or payouts by Channel Nine.
• I have identified 8 publicists from Channel Nine over the years, 6 were female and 2 were male. For most of the time the main publicist was female.
• The school comment is not true at all.
When Ms Spicer spoke to ex-CTC people who refuted what the malcontents were saying, she appeared to dismiss what they said it seemed clear that she had made up her mind before contacting them. She had her “Weinstein” headline and nothing was getting in its way.
This is unfair and unworthy journalism.
I enclose records of interviews from ex-employees who were contacted by Ms Spicer.
All are highly ethical people who would never tolerate behaviour such as you have alleged. Jackie French was a reporter on BBY and was Senior Australian of the year a few years back, Michael Freedman was CEO of BBY for many years as was James O’Sullivan; all three are willing to stand up in public forums or court to verify what they have said. There are others in this boat as well.