Nine staff hire lawyers after report finds some leaders attempted to cover up inappropriate workplace behaviour

Investigations are underway into multiple individual complaints by Nine Entertainment staff while others have engaged lawyers after an independent report found a toxic culture at the media company subjected them to sexual harassment and bullying.

While some staff are angry that the report did not identify any alleged perpetrators, others have already made use of an external company commissioned by Nine to make claims against individual managers and colleagues.

The report concluded that “known perpetrators” of inappropriate workplace behaviours were not dealt with and some “leaders” attempted to cover up inappropriate workplace behaviours or discouraged the reporting of incidents.

Sources said there were “a lot of complaints that were being investigated already” and if upheld people may yet be sacked.

“The Intersection report was never designed to be a complaints handling system,” one source said.

Several Nine staff have engaged lawyers to sue for compensation and the report released on Thursday will boost their case, according to employment lawyer Josh Bornstein.

“I’m already representing women at Nine, as well as the other networks,” Bornstein said.

“I think it’s fabulous for the women who’ve already initiated proceedings or are about to initiate proceedings, because it’s highly corroborative of their experiences, and it encourages them to keep going.”

The release on Thursday of the independent report , which found Nine had a culture of bullying, discrimination and sexual harassment across the company, will lead to more staff seeking redress and compensation, Bornstein said.

The YourCall service is an online form designed to allow Nine staff to report sexual harassment or related inappropriate conduct at Nine on an anonymous or identified basis.

“If the Nine Network is serious about changing its unsafe, hostile, misogynist workplace it has to take drastic action,” Bornstein said.

Bornstein called on Nine to release complainants from non-disclosure agreements and agreements already signed “to settle claims for paltry sums”.

“Instead of hiding all this, they need to let the sunlight in,” he said. “They should also be working with the human rights commission on how how to comply with their duty and proactive steps to stop sexual harassment and gendered mistreatment.”

Nine Chair Catherine West has apologised for the harm caused and says a “proactive culture change agenda” is already underway.

“The reality is much more needs to be done and a cultural reset is required,” West said. “Nine’s Board and leadership team are united in their commitment to accelerating and driving the required change.”

The Intersection report made 22 recommendations, which Nine has committed to implementing.

They include developing a process to ensure that reports of inappropriate workplace behaviour made in relation to board members or senior leaders “are immediately
referred to an independent and external party for investigation”.

Nine has also committed to developing a five-year diversity and inclusion strategy for the organisation.

Nine’s former chief executive Mike Sneesby and news director Darren Wick have left the company.

Sneesby stepped down in September after acknowledging “this year has been one of the most challenging in my career”.

He told staff “the timing was right to commence a leadership transition”. The chief finance officer, Matt Stanton, took over on an interim basis while the company searches for a new CEO.

Wick left abruptly in March but it was later reported he left after complaints of sexual harassment , inappropriate behaviour and allegations of a toxic culture within Nine’s television newsrooms.