‘Whitewash’: Seven CEO’s former mistress slams review clearing Worner

THE former mistress of Channel 7 CEO Tim Worner has slammed the company’s review of affair, saying “the lesson for women is don’t work there”.

Cleared of serious misconduct: Seven CEO Tim Worner Picture: News Corp

THE ex-mistress of Seven West CEO Tim Worner has branded the company’s review clearing him of serious misconduct a “whitewash”.

Amber Harrison is “disappointed, but not surprised” by the outcome of the investigation which found Wormer’s extramarital affair with her was “totally objectionable”, but “consensual, personal and private”.

In a letter to the Australian Stock Exchange this morning, the Seven West Media board cleared the embattled Worner of any serious misconduct after the inquiry into his affair Ms Harrison, a former employee.

But Ms Harrison has since slammed the inquiry as a ‘whitewash’, a farce and “a joke”.

“The lesson for women is don’t work for Seven West Media and expect to be treated equally

or with respect.,” Ms Harrison said in a statement.

“Male executives at Seven West Media have just been given a green light to

prey on female staff, and if there is any objection Seven will smash you with their legal

juggernaut.”

She claimed she was aware of “several senior women at Seven who have expressed their dismay

and disgust directly to Ryan Stokes at the way in which this matter has been handled”.

The Board told the ASX it was satisfied there were no irregularities in Mr Worner’s credit card use, he had not had inappropriate relationships with other staff members and that it could not substantiate allegations of illicit drug use made by Worner’s former lover.

There were “no grounds to take any further disciplinary action” and the board is “confident that Mr Worner will continue to run the company in the interests of all shareholders”, the Board said.

Ms Harrison went public with her 18-month affair with the married Worner last December. Among Ms Harrison’s explosive claims against Mr Worner were that they indulged in an all-night bender at a staff conference, alleged cocaine use on company time, and credit card misuse.

She shared a series of lewd text messages the pair exchanged during their affair.

Of the texts, the Board said communications between their CEO and Ms Harrison, while “totally objectionable”, were “consensual, personal and private”.

Ms Harrison was interviewed as part of the investigation, and along with her statement today released the evidence she claimed she presented to the board making allegations that Mr Worner used recreational drugs and his company credit card during their 18-month relationship.

“At my interview with Allens Linklater I provided explicit evidence ... the claims by Seven that these allegations cannot be substantiated are a joke,” she said.

Ms Harrison’ statement continues: “While the investigation has been characterised by Seven as thorough and having considered all relevant circumstances, the interview I had with the investigating team demonstrated that it was superficial, deliberately limited in scope.”

In December, Ms Harrison claimed Seven tried to silence her with $150,000 to protect Mr Worner. And she alleged four other staffers had also had affairs with the CEO. The four women denied this.

Amber Harrison, the ex-mistress of Seven boss Tim Worner, has branded the investigation clearing him of serious misconduct a “whitewash”. Picture: Supplied

“The Board has at all times made clear to Mr Worner that while the relationship, which concluded in July 2014, was personal and consensual, it was inappropriate given his senior position in the company and not behaviour condoned by the company,” Sevens Board statement to the ASX said this morning.

“Mr Worner has been disciplined by the chairman and the board and provided an undertaking this behaviour will not be repeated as well as an apology.”

Last December, as Seven’s share price plunged in the wake of the allegations, Mr Worner confirmed the affair, and apologised over the “inappropriate consensual sexual relationship”.

Amid mounting pressure, Seven’s board, led by chairman Kerry Stokes, continued to back Mr Worner, and announced the investigation.

Ms Harrison was made redundant by Seven in 2014, and was investigated by the network for alleged misuse of her corporate credit card.

There were “no grounds to take any further disciplinary action” against Mr Worner, there Board told the ASX. Picture: David Geraghty / The Australian.

Seven won’t release the final report publicly, saying it’s subject to legal privilege.

But it seems keen to close the book on the scandal, saying “this has been a tumultuous time for the entire company and with the receipt of the independent review this matter can now be brought to a conclusion”.

The investigation was conducted by Richard Harris, a litigation and investigations partner at Allens Linklater. It encompassed the payment of a bonus to Ms Harrison; the circumstances of the investigation into her corporate credit card expenses; the corporate credit card expenses of Mr Worner; and the allegations of drug use and other “inappropriate staff relationships” by Mr Worner.

The investigation of Ms Harrison’s credit card use was not initiated by Mr Worner or his office, and they weren’t involved in that investigation, according to the report.

And “other than signing the letters which informed her”, Mr Worner had nothing to do with a bonus awarded to Ms Harrison when she was still employed by Seven.

The allegations of drug use by Mr Wormer “could not be substantiated,” the board said.

Ms Harrison is considering her options and taking legal advice, but said shareholders should demand answers to questions including:

• “Whether in making the claims in today’s announcement, Seven has misled the ASX and

its shareholders”;

• Why Seven chose to dishonour its Deeds of Agreement with me;

• On what basis are agreements entered into (by Seven) and then millions of dollars of shareholders’ funds (spent) to defend his its position and threatens any media that attempt to report on its behaviour;

• In exonerating Tim Worner back in 2014 what did the Board know at that time and

specifically what did the Chairman Kerry Stokes know and when did he know it?”

Originally published as ‘Whitewash’: Seven CEO’s former mistress slams review clearing Worner