Nine chairman Peter Costello sent packing after two minutes of madness at Canberra Airport

Peter Costello’s two minutes of madness at the arrivals hall of Canberra Airport took down his eight-year chairmanship at the beleaguered media company.

When Peter Costello jetted into Canberra Airport about 1.30pm on Thursday, he didn’t know he was headed into a media storm that would ultimately send him packing from the chairmanship at Nine.

After flying from Melbourne via a Virgin Australia flight, the 66-year-old travelled down the terminal escalator with his jacket and mobile phone in one hand and suitcase in the other.

But it was the sort of entry he didn’t expect – being approached by journalist Liam Mendes from The Australian, who with his cameras and mobile phone videoing Mr Costello’s arrival, started quizzing him about the troubled media company.

Mendes introduced himself to the former treasurer before asking questions the media had been demanding answers on for weeks.

“Mr Costello, do you support Mr Sneesby as CEO and his handling of the Darren Wick saga?”

No response. Continuing to ignore Mendes, Mr Costello passed his suitcase to his waiting driver as Mendes continued to pepper him with fair and reasonable questions about the trouble-plagued company.

“Were you aware of the alle­gations against Mr Wick before he left Nine? Were you aware of those allegations, Mr Costello?”

Still getting no response as the former treasurer continued to walk through the airport terminal, Mendes asked: “Why won’t you support Mr Sneesby publicly? Well, you’ve got to answer the questions, Mr Costello.”

A still taken from the video of Liam Mendes approaching then Nine chairman Peter Costello at Canberra Airport. Picture: Liam Mendes

A still taken from the video of Liam Mendes approaching then Nine chairman Peter Costello at Canberra Airport. Picture: Liam Mendes

Picking up speed, Mr Costello took his hand out of his suit pants, raised his shoulder and shirt fronted Mendes, who could be heard saying “Don’t, don’t” before he hit the deck. Mr Costello arrogantly replied “I don’t have to do anything” before standing across from Mendes, looking down on him and laughing before picking up his jacket and walking off.

“You’ve just assaulted me, you’ve just pushed me,” Mendes said as he picked himself up. “It’s all on camera, Mr Costello.”

The former politician tried to make a quick exit out of the airport, when Mendes paced towards him and said: “Mr Costello, you can’t do that, that’s all ­captured on camera.

“Is your share price a concern?”

Still getting no response from Mr Costello, Mendes makes a pertinent point: “That was quite violent behaviour Mr Costello.”

He then added: “Do you have the full support of the board?”

Making no attempts to apologise or even acknowledge Mendes, Mr Costello then attempted to enter the back seat of his ­chauffeur-driven car, only to smash the rear door into a bollard.

Which was quite fitting, really, for a man who under pressure flipped and destroyed his chairmanship in a matter of minutes in the arrivals hall at Canberra Airport.

Originally published as Nine chairman Peter Costello sent packing after two minutes of madness at Canberra Airport