Melbourne men’s club savaged by sex discrimination claims

The Melbourne Savage Club has been hit with an unfair dismissal and sexual discrimination case in the Federal Court, as a former employee claims she was 'bullied' in her role.

The Melbourne Savage Club has been hit with an unfair dismissal and sexual discrimination case in the Federal Court, as a former employee claims she was "bullied" in her role.

One of the country’s most exclusive men’s only clubs is being sued in the Federal Court by a former female employee for unfair dismissal and sexual discrimination.

Sharyne Railton filed a complaint against the Melbourne Savage Club last week accusing the organisation’s general manager Sarath Fernando of being a “bully”, and discriminatory toward female employees.

Railton was fired after writing a formal complaint to the club president about Fernando. She claims her official complaint was never properly investigated. She is suing the club for more than $30,000 in damages.

Railton, who was employed by the club in April this year as a member services manager, claims she witnessed Fernando yelling at female employees, and was once forced to stand up for a female cleaner who had become the subject of the manager’s frustrations.

“I didn't hear him yell at any male employees at all,” Railton told The Oz. “But he did yell at me and he did yell at the cleaner, and he did yell at (another) female colleague.” 

“He would raise his voice. He was condescending and rude, and I called that out. Obviously, he wasn't used to being stood up to that often, but I stood up to him on a regular basis, and he didn't like it.”

From left to right: Barry Humphries, Joseph Lyons, Robert Menzies

The highly-exclusive gentlemen’s club, on Bank Place in Melbourne, has been the hideaway of the bohemian intelligentsia since 1894 and claims to be Australia’s finest private social club. Its members are required to pay thousands of dollars in fees in return for total privacy.

Named after British poet Richard Savage, the invitation-only club is positioned as the creative alternative to the elite Melbourne Club on Collins Street, where "literary men" can socialise over fine wines and a shared penchant for "the bohemian spirit".

Comedian Barry Humphries and painters Mervyn Napier Waller and William Dargie have all held memberships, along with former prime ministers Robert Menzies, Billy Hughes and Joseph Lyons. 

Former Greens candidate Julian Burnside was pressured to end his 40 year membership with the club in 2019, following online backlash criticising the high profile barrister for participating in the “anachronistic” institution, that only allows women to enter if they’re guests of members.  

Sharyne Railton.

Railton claims during her tenure at the societal institution she repeatedly told Fernando his behaviour was inappropriate.

“He would raise his voice. He was condescending and rude, and I called that out. Obviously, he wasn't used to being stood up to that often, but I stood up to him on a regular basis, and he didn't like it,” she said.

“I actually told him that he was being condescending and rude. Another time I told him, ‘That's illegal, Sarath’ and then he hauled me up into his office shortly after.

“He had me alone in his office for about 45 minutes, which really was not appropriate at all, without a witness.”

On July 20 last year Railton wrote a complaint to club president Graeme Billings via email, requesting Fernando receive “urgent training in Fair Work Australia legislative requirements and appropriate communication.”

“It appears to me that he speaks differently to women than men, unless the women are guests of the Club,” she wrote. “Other female staff have experienced similar behaviours.”

Railton said six days later on July 26 she received a phone call from Billings saying he would launch an investigation into the complaints, which he took “very seriously”.

But on July 28, Railton received a termination letter from Chair of the House & Building Subcommittee Mark Schroffel on behalf of Fernando, saying her employment would not continue beyond her six month probation period because she did not meet “the standards of performance and behaviour sufficient to confirm your ongoing employment.”

The Club will claim management decided to terminate Railton’s employment on July 14 – almost a week before she complained about Fernando’s behaviour.

Fernando said he had “no comment” to make in response to the allegations, and is still employed by the Club.

“It is not up to me to discuss this at all,” he said. “It is with the lawyers, I do not want to get involved in it.” 

A spokesman from the Melbourne Savage Club said the Club would “make no comment on these matters while the legal proceeding is pending.”