FIVEaa commentator Tim Ginever, footy legend Graham Cornes offer words of support for Power board member Warren Tredrea following legal battle with Channel 9
A raft of South Aussie media identities have spoken out after the Port legend and board member denied claims he was a ‘sovereign citizen’.
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Warren Tredrea’s media colleagues have thrown their support behind the beleaguered Port Adelaide champion amid his controversial Federal Court battle with Channel 9.
Tredrea’s future at radio station FIVEaa has come under a cloud after it emerged this week that he told a court he had paid his debt to Channel 9 with a legal IOU because Australia has no “gold or silver coins” in circulation.
The court has ordered Tredrea to reimburse Nine’s legal costs – estimated at between $100,000 and $200,000 – incurred by his attempt to resurrect his wrongful dismissal lawsuit.
The Port Adelaide board member has also claimed, in Federal Court documents, that he is “not an entity” nor a “legal person, citizen or resident” but a “private man” whose “yes be yes” and “no be no”.
Football journalist Caroline Wilson said on Channel 7’s The Agenda Setters this week that Tredrea’s employer, FIVEaa, “might have an issue” with the retired star.
“As we sit here tonight, Warren will be calling footy for 5AA over the weekend, but my understanding is that Nova Entertainment – owner of 5AA – are having a very close look at Warren Tredrea’s contract, and that there could be some legal discussions in the coming weeks,” she said.
The Advertiser understands that his position at FIVEaa is not under threat, and has confirmed that Tredrea will be part of the station’s Port Adelaide v Sydney commentary team on Saturday afternoon.
FIVEaa drivetime show co-host Tim Ginever said he had no issues with Tredrea.
“What’s private is his business. We don’t discuss any of that when we’re together and I spend our time together trying to make him laugh at my ordinary jokes,” he said.
Longtime FIVEaa presenter and former Crows coach Graham Cornes said Tredrea’s court case should not impact his spot on the Port Adelaide board, nor his on-air media role.
“It’s private battle between him and Nine. He’s come up with a strategy that most people would think is quite unique,” he said.
“I’ve got no problem at all. I’m sure FIVEaa will back him … well, I would anyway.”
FIVEaa declined to comment when contacted by The Advertiser.
In documents filed ahead of Tuesday’s hearing, Tredrea said he sent his former employer Nine – which terminated his contract over his refusal to be vaccinated for Covid-19 – “a promissory note”.
The document is a written promise, by one party, to make a payment at a future date under terms and conditions outlined within it. Tredrea says that, because he sent the note to Nine which did not return it within 72 hours, his debt has been discharged.
A 2023 Australian Federal Police report stated sovereign citizens had existed in Australia for decades.
“Historically, these (sovereign citizen) beliefs manifested in individuals finding various ways to dissociate from societal structures,” the report read.
The report stated the country had seen a resurgence in the movement as a result of government responses to the Covid-19 pandemic.
A SAPOL spokesman said they “respect the right of individuals to have different beliefs in a democratic country”.
“Those who are associated with the sovereign citizen movement adhere to a view that the existing government structure is illegitimate and that they retain an individual common law identity exempting them from the authority of fraudulent government institutions,” the spokesman said.
“Police often come into contact with those who identify as sovereign citizens in a number of different interactions where they argue that they have not broken any laws and that the laws do not apply to them. This is not the case.”
In March 2024, Tredrea lost his $5.77 million claim against Nine, which he claimed had unreasonably fired him, as its sports presenter, due to its Covid-19 vaccination mandate.
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