Former TV reporter Robert Ovadia launches legal action against Seven

One of Seven’s most senior journalists who was sacked by the network last month has commenced legal action, claiming he was unlawfully dismissed.

Former Seven news reporter Robert Ovadia claims he was unlawfully dismissed. Picture: Seven News

Axed Channel 7 journalist Robert Ovadia has lodged legal action against his former employer and the network’s news boss Anthony De Ceglie, claiming that he was unlawfully dismissed by the media company.

The Australian can reveal Ovadia – one of Sydney’s most experienced television reporters – lodged documents in the Fair Work Commission at the end of June.

Ovadia, who is being represented by high-profile employment and media lawyer John Laxon, has submitted a general protections application and is seeking orders of compensation for his dismissal, reinstatement to his job and pecuniary penalties.

It was revealed on June 21 that Ovadia – one of Seven’s highest-paid journalists – was sacked over allegations of inappropriate conduct involving images exchanged with a female colleague four years ago.

No formal complaint has ever been lodged in relation to that matter.

Seven management only became aware of the exchange when it was reportedly brought to their attention by the ABC’s Four Corners program, which is working on an investigation into allegations of a toxic culture at Seven.

The network’s management also recently learned of another situation involving Ovadia. It’s understood that Ovadia responded to a male colleague’s request to send “Dick pics” while covering a court case that referenced the name ‘Dick’.

Ovadia jokingly sent an image of a flaccid penis to the male colleague. No complaint was lodged on this matter either, but it is understood that Four Corners has also asked questions about it.

At the time of Ovadia’s sacking last month, a Seven spokesman said the network was “conducting an investigation into allegations of inappropriate behaviour by Robert Ovadia”.

Last week, Mr Laxon confirmed to The Australian that documents regarding Ovadia’s contract termination have been lodged with the Fair Work Commission.

“A general protections application against the Seven Network and Anthony De Ceglie has been filed,” he said.

Anthony De Ceglie.

Seven has seven days from the date the application was filed to respond and if it is not resolved, the matter then moves to conciliation between the parties.

If this fails, the matter will then proceed to the Federal Court.

Ovadia worked at Seven for 23 years before he was dismissed by the network.

On the weekend, The Australian contacted Ovadia to ask about the legal matter but he declined to comment.

But when he was contacted by The Australian last month he said he was unlikely to return to journalism.

“I’ve been advised not to talk about my case so I won’t, but if you’re asking whether I’ll be returning to journalism? No, I don’t think so,” Ovadia said.

On Sunday, a Seven spokesman told The Australian: “Seven takes very seriously any allegations in relation to sexual harassment, bullying and other behaviours deemed to be inappropriate within the workplace. We take complaints seriously, manage them confidentially and deal with any breaches decisively.”

Ovadia has previously stated that the accusations made against him were without merit, and pledged to defend himself against any claims of wrongdoing.

The ousting of Ovadia has rocked Seven’s Sydney newsroom, and cap off a volatile month for De Ceglie, who has only been in the top news job at Seven for less than three months.

The 38-year-old replaced former news boss Craig McPherson after he quit the network following weeks of turmoil at the station earlier this year which involved Sunrise host Matt Shirvington naming the wrong man as the Bondi Junction killer in April, and an earlier scandal that surrounded the network’s prime time investigative program, Spotlight.

The naming of the wrong man in the wake of the Bondi Junction stabbings resulted in Seven paying a six-digit sum to Sydney university student Benjamin Cohen.

Allegations were also made in March by former Spotlight producer Taylor Auerbach, who claimed the station reimbursed former Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann for expenses on sex workers and cocaine in order to secure an exclusive sit-down interview with him.

The station has vehemently denied those claims.

Since his appointment, De Ceglie has overhauled the company’s newsrooms, installing new news directors in three key markets – Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.

Sydney news director Neil Warren was replaced by Sunrise executive producer Sean Power and Melbourne’s Shaun Menegola was replaced by Adelaide news director Chris Salter.

Mark Mooney was appointed as Adelaide news director and Spotlight’s executive producer Mark Llewellyn, who left amid the Lehrmann saga, was replaced by Nine’s A Current Affair Sydney bureau chief Gemma Williams, who starts in the role next week.