Sacked Nine news boss Amanda Paterson calls in the lawyers
A senior Nine news executive engaged lawyers within 24 hours of her sudden exit from the media giant last week, amid concerns the staff clean-out could be met with a wave of legal claims.
A senior Nine news executive engaged lawyers within 24 hours of her sudden exit from the media giant last week, amid concerns that the staff clean-out – prompted by the devastating findings of the independent review of the company’s workplace culture – could be met with a wave of legal claims.
It is understood Nine’s Brisbane news director Amanda Paterson contacted high-profile employment and media lawyer John Laxon on Friday, after she was called into a meeting on Thursday at the station’s Mount Coot-Tha headquarters and immediately dismissed.
Paterson’s departure comes as several senior employees at Nine continue to be investigated over complaints of alleged misconduct that were revealed last month with the release of the cultural review.
One senior Nine insider told The Australian there was some concern within the company that if “due process” wasn’t strictly followed in relation to the legitimacy of the allegations raised in the workplace review, the situation could become a “legal nightmare”.
However, there has also been pressure on management to act quickly, amid frustration among staff that the company has been slow to “weed out” the known perpetrators of unacceptable workplace behaviour.
Paterson, who has worked at Nine for 31 years, was a close associate of disgraced news boss Darren Wick, who left the company in March after a female employee lodged a complaint of serious misconduct against him.
The Australian is not suggesting Paterson was involved in misconduct while working for Nine.
On Thursday evening, Wick’s replacement, Fiona Dear, emailed all staff to inform them of Paterson’s sudden departure from the business. Dear’s email did not thank Paterson for her service or explain the reasons behind her departure.
“Paterson finished up with Nine today,” Dear wrote to staff.
A Current Affair’s Queensland bureau chief Kate Donnison will act as news director on a short-term basis until executive producer Brendan Hockings returns from annual leave.
Insiders told Nine that the decision to put Donnison in the role temporarily had resulted in staff in Brisbane’s news team being “overlooked” for the position, and had “put noses out of joint”.
Paterson was contacted on Sunday but did not respond, while Mr Laxon declined to comment.
Staff at Nine have also been given a stern warning by management to not reveal any information to the media about matters relating to the cultural review.
The missive sent to staff on Thursday, seen by The Australian, told employees: “The report told us that leaking information is a tactic used to abuse power or authority and this behaviour will not be tolerated at Nine.”
It also encourages employees to report anyone they suspect of leaking information to the media.
The Australian’s revelation in May that Wick had left the business earlier in the year after a complaint against him prompted dozens of women – both past and present employees of Nine – to come forward with claims of inappropriate workplace conduct including bullying and sexual harassment.
At the time of Wick’s departure, Nine head of TV Michael Healy praised the former news boss in an internal email, despite knowing that his colleague was the subject of an extensive investigation relating to misconduct towards a female staffer.
Mr Healy said “Wickie” had had “enormous impact” during his 29 years at the network.
“I personally want to thank Wickie for his commitment to the Nine News brand and wish him well,” Mr Healy wrote.
Former Nine chief executive officer Mike Sneesby announced the cultural review into the organisation in May and his successor, Matt Stanton, said on Thursday the company was working on a plan on how to respond to the 22 recommendations arising from the review, which was conducted by external consultancy firm Intersection.
One Nine insider said since the handing down of the Intersection review last month, some staff believed “perpetrators are resigning before they get investigated”.
Nine’s share price closed at $1.13 on Friday.
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