Nine will sack the bullies, vows interim boss

Nine’s acting chief executive, Matt Stanton, has assured angry staff the company is committed to sacking or disciplining any employee if ongoing investigations into their workplace conduct are upheld.

The mood in Nine’s broadcast newsrooms is tense, with senior leaders nervous about the outcome of investigations into workplace conduct, well-placed sources not authorised to speak publicly told this masthead.

Stanton said Nine would consider a range of outcomes as an external investigator, Enterprise Investigations, looked into complaints filed in conjunction with the independent Intersection Review, which revealed a widespread culture of bullying, belittling and sexual harassment within Nine.

Nine released a long-awaited cultural review on Thursday afternoon.Credit: Sam Mooy

“If a complaint is upheld, the consequences will be appropriate and proportionate, ranging from counselling, formal disciplinary action, to termination of employment,” he said in an all-staff email on Monday afternoon.

Nine Entertainment’s interim CEO Matt Stanton says the company has partnered with external investigators.Credit: Dominic Lorrimer

The email appears an attempt to appease outraged staff, surprised by Nine’s perceived lack of action in holding people to account, and in Stanton’s words, a response to the “conjecture within and outside Nine” following publication of the 82-page report last week, with further allegations of misconduct being reported overnight.

In a tense all-staff live-stream on Thursday, both Stanton and chair Catherine West failed to mention ongoing investigations into staff, which came as a result of the third-party hotline, YourCall, set up during the review process. Interview participants in the Intersection review were encouraged to file specific complaints through YourCall.

While Stanton did not name the organisation in the staff email on Monday, he confirmed the company had engaged an external partner to help look into issues raised by employees. A source with knowledge of the matter but not authorised to speak publicly told this masthead that Enterprise Investigations was one of a number of external firms and specialists engaged by Nine to deal with different complaints.

“No two cases are the same, and I’m sure you can appreciate these investigations need to be conducted in a manner that follows a just and proper process, which can take time,” Stanton added.

“This will not be influenced by outside interest or public scrutiny.”

On Monday, The Australian reported a senior male staff member at Nine is the subject of a sexual assault claim and ongoing investigation. It said the alleged victim had left the company.

A Nine spokesperson told this masthead the company was alert to and actively looking for inappropriate behaviour in the workplace and empowered Nine leaders to take action if they observed poor behaviour, even if no complaints were made.

While there was frustration and disappointment over Intersection’s decision not to include names in its final report, the company’s head of people and culture, Vanessa Morley, had previously flagged this decision in an email at the beginning of October.

“While individuals will not be named within the report, we will receive a systemic view of our workplace culture, themes, risks and recommendations for change,” Morley told staff on October 1.

The independent complaints hotline will continue as an anonymous outlet for staff to file complaints.

The review was commissioned by former Nine chief executive Mike Sneesby in May after the long-serving former news and current affairs boss, Darren Wick, left the company amid allegations of lecherous behaviour and poor management.

It found belittlement, public white-anting and abuse of power to be commonplace in its broadcast news division, while leaders lacked accountability and often made decisions based on status, relationships or self-interest.

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