‘It’s curious’: Amber Harrison speaks out after being dropped from Four Corners exposé

A last-minute omission of a key interview from the ABC’s Four Corners investigation into the workplace culture at the Seven Network undermined the purpose of the program, says former company executive assistant Amber Harrison, whose part in the program failed to go to air.

Harrison was flown from Melbourne to Sydney by the ABC for a three-hour on-camera interview with the program’s lead reporter, Louise Milligan, for the investigation titled “Don’t Speak”.

Former Seven executive assistant Amber Harrison.Credit: Josh Robenstone

Harrison is the former executive assistant at Seven who went public over her affair with the company’s former chief executive, Tim Worner, and is subject to an injunction taken out by the company that prevents her from speaking about her experience.

Despite the injunction, Harrison said her Four Corners interview was significant and within the bounds of the strict orders, and that the omission spoke directly to the tactic used by Seven to silence former employees.

“It’s curious that after being featured in the promo, my interview was pulled without explanation. This omission left a significant story untold, especially considering the hype surrounding the show and the high calibre of journalism Louise Milligan is known for,” Harrison said.

“The fact that my interview, which could have underscored the very point of Don’t Speak, was excluded is intriguing, especially when the decision not to include it wasn’t explained on the program. There’s a much bigger narrative here that wasn’t shared.”

Promotional material was published on Thursday ahead of the Four Corners episode on Monday night. The material included footage of the Harrison interview but after a legal notice issued to the ABC by Seven via legal firm Herbert Smith Freehills, the video was removed.

When the program aired, it made no mention of Harrison or Worner, or why the promotional materials that had helped build anticipation for the episode had been removed.

The injunction granted to Seven by the NSW Supreme Court in early 2017 bans Harrison from disclosing any confidential information and making any adverse statement about, or publicly disparaging, or otherwise bringing disrepute to the company.

Harrison said her comments did not negate the bravery of those who did speak out to Four Corners, despite facing significant opposition.

“Their courage stands in stark contrast to tactics and [the] decision not to air my interview,” Harrison said.

“While I understand the complexities involved, the absence of my interview in the final program, after being part of the promo, raises questions about the narrative being shaped and the untold story that remains.

“This decision left an important story untold, which could have highlighted the consequences of speaking out.”

Harrison said her understanding was that her inclusion was significant because she was unable to speak openly due to the court order.

“Despite this, I did speak with Louise Milligan, remaining within the legal boundaries I am bound by.”

The ABC said it spoke to more than 200 people for its investigation into the culture at Seven, alleging an environment dictated by fear, with misogyny and bullying at its core.

The program focused on the treatment of staff, predominantly women, in the company’s newsrooms, but did not scrutinise the executive level and the company’s proprietor, billionaire Kerry Stokes.

The program highlighted the difficulty of getting former commercial television employees to speak on the record, as many signed non-disclosure agreements to leave the company. This point was punctuated by employment lawyer Josh Bornstein, who also said there was a noticeable pattern of hostility towards women at the network.

Bornstein is acting for several former employees who have ongoing legal action against Seven, as well as some with action against Nine, the owner of this masthead.

The Four Corners episode had an average national audience of 832,000 across broadcast and live-streaming.

The ABC declined to comment. Seven was approached for comment.

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