Explosive allegations against former Domain boss Antony Catalano­

PROPERTY group Domain’s former chief executive Antony Catalano­ allowed an old-school “boys club” to flourish, where women were regularly “perved at”, a staffer has alleged

FORMER Domain chief executive Antony Catalano ­allowed an old-school “boys club” to flourish at the ­property group, a staffer has ­alleged.

Mr Catalano oversaw a workplace culture in which women were called “doll” and “babe” and regularly “perved at”, according to a complaint lodged with the human resources department by a male manager.

AUSSIE INVESTORS LOSE $120M BUT DOMAIN BOSS NOT SORRY FOR JUMPING SHIP

LAWYERS KEEPING ‘WATCHFUL EYE’ ON DOMAIN AFTER CHIEF ANTONY CATALANO’S SHOCK EXIT

‘BOYS CLUB’ CLAIMS BEFORE DOMAIN CHIEF’S RESIGNATION: REPORT

DOMAIN LOSES $320 IN MARKET VALUE AS CHIEF QUITS

And on Wednesday it emerged the real estate company had “commissioned a review of our working environment” following the explosive allegations — which it has been reported Mr Catalano has denied.

Domain executive chairman Nick Falloon wrote to all staff on Wednesday urging them to participate in the review “so we can further improve our workplaces for the future”. Mr Catalano shocked the market by quitting as chief a fortnight ago — only two months after listing with shareholders — and sent ­Domain’s share price spiralling, claiming his exit was for family reasons.

Antony Catalano. Picture: Nicole Garmston

But it has now been claimed Mr Catalano — who previously played a clip from the movie The Wolf of Wall Street to motivate staff — ran a Melbourne-based “boys club”, ­according to reports in the Australian Financial Review.

The report also says ­Domain’s 2017 Christmas party, called “The White Party” and held at The Emerson in South Yarra, was followed by Mr Catalano and other executives partying on at a nearby apartment.

Some staff who attended the party told the Herald Sun they were miffed to find a “class” system in place.

An attendee said different wristbands were allocated to selected staff entitling them to “top-shelf spirits, all the good stuff”, leaving other staff to drink cheaper booze.

A select group of partygoers also got access to a luxury hotel room across the road from the party, a staffer said, “and they were there until all hours”.

The Domain Group’s 2017 Christmas Party at The Emerson.

Another Domain employee said there had been a notable bias towards “pretty, young things” being hired or promoted in the Melbourne team, with older staff shuffled out.

“There are a lot of young people in the office in Melbourne. There’s a party vibe in the office, a young bunch who are up for a good time,” the staffer said. “The women in the Melbourne office are all good looking. They have the skills, but they also have the looks. That seems to be a key selection criteria.”

The Financial Review reports claim a male manager complained in December to Domain’s human resources department about the “boys club” behaviour.

Separate complaints posted on online recruitment site Glassdoor made other claims about the workplace culture.

One complaint from a person claiming to be a former “senior accounts manager”, said Domain had a “degrading and old-school culture”.

Attempts to reach Mr Catalano for comment were unsuccessful on Wednesday night.

[e-mail]