Ray Hadley rocked by two fresh allegations of staff bullying claims

Two fresh complaints about the behaviour of 2GB’s Ray Hadley have been lodged with station management. It brings to eight the number of recent complaints against the station’s star broadcaster. Annette Sharp has the exclusive details

• 2GB staff split over bullying claims
• Hadley: ‘I can’t change opinions of haters’

Two fresh complaints about the behaviour of 2GB broadcaster Ray Hadley have been lodged with station management.

The complaints, from current 2GB staffers alleging bullying behaviour, were being considered as the radio industry retired for the Easter non-survey period and Hadley began his scheduled two-week break.

It is understood 2GB management had also received a third complaint from another staff member who alleged Hadley had defamed one of his high profile colleagues.

This brings to eight the number of issues concerning Hadley raised in the three weeks since former 2GB panel operator, Chris Bowen, opened up on social media on March 22 about alleged bullying behaviour.

Ray Hadley and his employer 2GB are facing two fresh complaints about Hadley’s alleged behaviour. Picture: Tim Hunter.

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The other complaints include “historic” matters involving rugby league commentator Andrew Moore, digital technician Jesse Perez and retired Manly rugby league legend turned commentator John Gibbs.

The first of the new complaints was made on March 25, with the staffer taking immediate stress leave and returning to work last week after 12 days off. The second came from a senior producer who approached 2GB bosses the week ending April 5.

That same week another senior member of staff tabled a complaint to management concerning a boast, made by Hadley, and said to have been defamatory of another staff member.

Then last week came the latest complaint, from another staff member working in production.

In the aftermath of the complaints, Hadley spent last week broadcasting from Queensland in the office of 2GB’s affiliated Brisbane station, 4BC.

The relocation came a week after Hadley admitted himself to a Sydney hospital for treatment, on March 29, for recurring diverticulitis.

This week former Canterbury Bulldogs great Graeme Hughes, now a broadcaster on 2SM and host of Controversy Corner on Fox Sports, threw his support behind fellow league commentators Gibbs and Moore who last week gave the Sunday Telegraph accounts of walking away from radio jobs because of Hadley’s bullying.

Johnny Gibbs and Ray Hadley in 1994.

Gibbs detailed his alleged treatment by Hadley in last week’s Sunday Telegraph.

In 2006 Hughes took legal action over comments made by Hadley on 2GB. Hadley read an email from an anonymous listener called “Pete”, who claimed to have overheard Hughes, unnamed by Hadley in the radio dig, mouthing off about his former team the Bulldogs and the NRL while “hitting the wines” at Star City.

Hughes, a seasoned broadcaster, learned from the email trail the document had been hatched within the Bulldog’s own marketing department. It was then shared with Hadley. Hughes sued the Bulldogs.

That Hadley never checked the veracity of the email – before broadcasting its stinging content - remains a sore point for Hughes to this day.

“I have no doubt the man has done everything he could to damage me in the eyes of everyone I’m involved with – the radio industry, Bulldogs, the NRL,” he told The Sunday Telegraph.

“People can judge for themselves; fictional claims in an unchecked email yet good enough for a number one broadcaster to use in the hope of causing injury to every area of my life – which it did for my wife and children.

“I feel sorry for Hadley and his need to peddle in this sort of stuff. It’s a disgrace and way below the expectations of someone in this position.”

Graeme Hughes with his daughter and grand-daughter. Picture: Supplied

Hadley with his former producer Chris Bowen who went public with allegations of work place bullying by Hadley.

Hughes added he felt for both his fellow commentators Andrew Moore and John Gibbs saying they were “two decent guys… who should never have had to leave their workplace and go elsewhere.”

It’s a view supported by fellow former commentator Jon Harker, who resigned from 2GB following Hadley’s appointment in December 2001.

“I think the man is a bully and like most bullies, a coward. And I think he’s unhappy unless he’s having a fight with someone,” Harker said.

Harker this week recalled once coming to the defence of a helpless assistant technician, Phil Pike, who worked for Hadley at 2UE in 2000.

The letter related to a matter reported by Fairfax Media that year recounting a tirade Hadley launched against Pike, who was then in kidney failure and on a kidney transplant list.

Pike, happily, survived his transplant but was unwilling to make comment on the matter when contacted last week.

Hadley could not be reached for comment.

Originally published as Ray Hadley rocked by two fresh allegations of staff bullying claims