Amanda Paterson, a veteran news director at Nine Brisbane, has taken a bold step by filing a formal complaint with the Fair Work Commission, alleging that she was unfairly terminated by her boss, Fiona Dear, over minor infractions.
Paterson is seeking unspecified damages, and the matter is headed for a mandatory conciliation hearing before proceeding to the Federal Court.
A Shocking Sacking
Until November 7, Paterson was the news director of Nine’s Brisbane, Gold Coast, and Darwin newsrooms. That day, she was called into a sudden meeting with Dear, who appeared via video link from Sydney. The meeting lasted just seven minutes, during which Paterson was informed that her employment was being terminated, effective immediately. She was escorted out of the building, denied the chance to say goodbye to her staff, and even had to leave behind her 11-month-old poodle, Pepe, who was later returned to her by HR.
The Reasons Behind the Sacking
So, what were the reasons behind Paterson’s termination? According to Nine, it was due to three alleged workplace breaches: failing to complete in-house training modules, mishandling a staff contract extension, and making a lighthearted comment about removing “dickheads” from the company. However, at no point was Paterson told that her sacking was related to the findings of Nine’s cultural review, which uncovered an entrenched culture of bullying and sexual harassment.
A Culture of Bullying and Harassment
The cultural review, conducted by external consultancy group Intersection, was released on October 17 and made 22 recommendations to address Nine’s workplace issues. The report’s findings were damning, revealing a culture of bullying and sexual harassment. Yet, despite this, Paterson’s sacking was not attributed to the review’s findings. In fact, Dear herself had expressed anger about the rotten workplace culture that developed under her predecessor, Darren Wick.
Questions Over Fiona Dear’s Role
Dear, who was appointed director of news and current affairs two months after Wick left the company, has faced criticism from staff who claim she was complicit in the mistreatment of staff during her time as chief of staff under Wick. Her comments in an interview with the Women’s Leadership Institute Australia, in which she expressed anger about having to “clean up someone else’s shit,” sparked outrage among staff.
Nine’s Response
Nine has declined to comment on Paterson’s legal claim, but the company has announced plans to accelerate its cultural transformation. The company’s board has endorsed a plan to address and measure its cultural transformation, with more than 60 per cent of the recommendations from the Intersection review already complete or underway. Nine has also announced plans to conduct a “cultural pulse” check in two years and to tie executives’ remuneration and bonuses to cultural-specific measurements and outcomes.
A Call for Change
Nine’s acting CEO, Matt Stanton, has acknowledged the prevalence of poor behavior in the media industry, saying that change is required. He believes that Nine can play an active role in shaping cultural change and creating a safe, respectful, and thriving industry. It remains to be seen how Nine will address the allegations of bullying and harassment, and whether Paterson’s unfair dismissal case will bring about real change within the company.