SEXUAL HARASSMENT OF WOMEN – AUSTRALIA

Four Corners investigation alleges culture of fear, misogyny, bullying at Seven Network

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Original article by Calum Jaspan
The Age – Page: Online : 13-Aug-24

Former Seven Network regional reporter Olivia Babb has told the ABC’s ‘Four Corners’ program that Seven is "one of the most degrading, soul-crushing places you can work". Babb is one of a number of current and former Seven staff who took part in the program, which alleged that the television network has a culture of bullying, harassment and misogynistic treatment. Employment lawyer Josh Bornstein told the program that there had been a noticeable pattern of hostility towards women at the network. Babb said that she was paid so little that she and other colleagues were often "one or two paychecks from homelessness".

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SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION

Nine’s CEO signed $1m exit payout

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Original article by Sophie Elsworth, James Madden
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 28-May-24

Nine Entertainment Company is continuing to attract scrutiny over the sudden resignation of the Nine Network’s director of news and current affairs, Darren Wick. A spokeswoman has confirmed that Nine’s CEO Mike Sneesby had sign off on Wick’s severance pay of almost $1m, and the media group’s board had no role in the payout. It has previously been revealed that the board had discussed allegations that Wick had sexually harassed a number of female colleagues during his long tenure at Nine. Meanwhile, Nine will commission an independent review of its TV newsrooms’ culture in the wake of the allegations against Wick.

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NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED

Unions weigh in on Rio’s woes

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Original article by Peter Ker, David Marin-Guzman, Sally Patten
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 3-Feb-22

Mining & Energy Union president Tony Maher says the deunionisation of Rio Tinto’s workforce in the 1990s contributed to the toxic culture that has been exposed by former sex discrimination commissioner Elizabeth Broderick. Her review of Rio Tinto’s culture found that conduct such as bullying, sexual harassment and racism are rife within the resources giant. Brad Gandy from the Australian Workers’ Union says it has been warning Rio Tinto of problems with its culture for many years; he adds that bullying occurs at Rio Tinto’s iron ore operations on a daily basis.

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RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, MINING AND ENERGY UNION, AUSTRALIAN WORKERS’ UNION-FEDERATION OF INDUSTRIAL, MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING EMPLOYEES

Report damns Rio’s culture of bullying

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 & 22 : 2-Feb-22

A review of Rio Tinto’s internal culture by former sex discrimination commissioner Elizabeth Broderick has revealed that inappropriate conduct is rife within the resources giant. More than 48 per cent of employees who participated in the review said they had experienced bullying at work, with workers in the company’s Pilbara iron ore division reporting the highest levels of bullying. In addition, about 28 per cent of female employees said that they had been subjected to sexual harassment, while nearly 40 per cent of indigenous Australian employees said they had been subject to racism within the last five years. Rio Tinto CEO Jakob Stausholm has committed to implementing all of Broderick’s recommendations.

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RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO

Dozens of Rio Tinto workers sacked, disciplined over harassment cases

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Original article by Caitlyn Rintoul
The West Australian – Page: Online : 28-Oct-21

Simon Trott, the head of Rio Tinto’s iron ore division, has conceded that sexual misconduct occurs at the resources group’s mine sites and accommodation camps. He has told a parliamentary inquiry that 30 workers have been disciplined in the last year due to sexual misconduct, and 15 workers have been dismissed. Trott added that Rio Tinto is committed to organisational change on the issue. The inquiry into sexual misconduct in the ‘fly-in, fly-out’ sector has received more than 70 submissions from mining companies, industry bodies, unions and workers.

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RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO

Andrew Laming to quit politics after unacceptable behaviour

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Original article by
SBS News – Page: Online : 29-Mar-21

The Liberal-National Party has confirmed that Queensland MP Andrew Laming will not contest the next federal election. The announcement came one day after a woman accused him of taking a picture of her bottom on his mobile phone in 2019, and two days after he apologised for trolling two women from his constituency online. The announcement that Laming would step down from Parliament had been made by Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, who said that Laming’s behaviour had been "unacceptable".

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LIBERAL-NATIONAL PARTY OF QUEENSLAND, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

AMP to reveal damning report

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Original article by Joyce Moullakis
The Australian – Page: 15 & 19 : 20-Aug-20

Wealth manager AMP has advised that it will release the report of an independent investigation into the sexual harassment allegations against Boe Pahari. The investigation was undertaken in 2017, and the lawyers representing complainant Julia Szlakowski say that she never received a copy of the full report of the investigation. Pahari was appointed as CEO of AMP Capital in July. Australian Council of Superannuation Investors CEO Louise Davidson contends that Pahari’s position is untenable.

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AMP LIMITED – ASX AMP, AMP CAPITAL INVESTORS LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL OF SUPERANNUATION INVESTORS INCORPORATED

Law partner forced staff to watch porn

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 13-Sep-18

Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins says the Australian Human Rights Commission survey on sexual harassment has received some shocking claims since it was launched in June. Jenkins, who was speaking to the National Press Club on 12 September, said one claim involved young female employees at a law firm being forced to watch pornography by a senior male partner. The survey has revealed that the number of women who state they have been sexually harassed has doubled in the past five years. Jenkins says that sexual harassment "continues with impunity", despite the expectation that "things were getting better".

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AUSTRALIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION, NATIONAL PRESS CLUB (AUSTRALIA)

Sexual harassment at work doubles: survey

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 12-Sep-18

The information, media and telecommunications industry is Australia’s worst sector when it comes to sexual harassment, according to a Australian Human Rights Commission survey. Eighty-one per cent of its employees stated they had been sexually harassed in the last five years, despite the sector accounting for just two per cent of the workforce. The number of women who state they have been sexually harassed at work has risen from 21 per cent to 39 per cent over the past six years. Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins says the results of its survey reveal that sexual harassment is "widespread and pervasive".

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AUSTRALIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION

Bawdy jokes and crude behaviour aside, no evidence of misconduct

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Original article by Matthew Westwood
The Australian – Page: 7 : 1-Feb-18

An independent investigation by Pax People has cleared actor Craig McLachlan of inappropriate conduct on the set of "The Doctor Blake Mysteries". The inquiry was commissioned by production company December Media in the wake of allegations of sexual harassment and workplace bullying on the set of the period drama. Pax People’s report concluded that the workplace culture on the set of the show often featured humour that could be regarded as offensive, but it found no evidence of serious misconduct. McLachlan has denied all allegations against him.

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PAX PEOPLE, DECEMBER MEDIA, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, THE GORDON FROST ORGANISATION PTY LTD