Loyal Nine staff are rallying around Airlie Walsh and offering her their full support following shocking revelations that she is suing the network for discrimination.
The popular Today show political reporter even received a public endorsement from one of the media company’s biggest names, with 2GB’s Ben Fordham taking to the airwaves Wednesday morning to describe her as “a first-class human being” and “a completely decent and honest person.”
Fordham’s comment came after drawing his listeners’ attention to revelations (first revealed by Nine’s own newspapers) that Walsh has been pursuing Nine in the Federal Court after lodging a sexual discrimination claim over human rights last week.
“There’s a story… today involving someone I know well,” he told his primetime breakfast audience.
‘Look, I just wanted to say this about Airlie Walsh.
‘Firstly, I haven’t discussed the matter with her at all, so I’m not aware of any of the details of Airlie’s complaint… but I’ve known Airlie for a long time.
“They say he’s been on Channel Nine for 16 years,” the former A Current Affair and Today show star continued.
‘I think I would have met Airlie 16 years ago, because I remember, as a reporter, she was a work experience girl.
“Then she became a producer, then a reporter… and, furthermore, an excellent reporter.
Airlie Walsh has filed a human rights claim against Nine Entertainment in the Federal Court
Walsh has received public support from one of Nine’s biggest names, radio king Ben Fordham.
And I think Airlie Walsh is a completely decent and honest person and I will be watching with interest what happens with her case.
“She’s a first-class human being, a very good reporter, and, Airlie, I’m thinking of you this morning.”
Walsh’s lawsuit has taken many in the media industry by surprise.
Walsh, who is currently on maternity leave, has worked at Nine since 2008, first at Weekend Today before joining the Nine Sydney News team in 2013.
She has long been considered one of the network’s most polished and professional journalists.
Her legal case became public just days after Nine’s recently sacked Queensland news boss Amanda Paterson alleged the media company unfairly used anonymous findings from its much-publicised culture report to sack her.
The report, by workplace culture firm Intersection, concluded that Nine had ‘a systemic problem of abuse of power and authority; intimidation, discrimination and harassment; and sexual harassment’.
It also found that half of Nine employees had seen or experienced abuses of power, bullying and discrimination, with numerous confidential complaints made against some of Nine’s most senior male and female executives.
Walsh has worked at Nine since 2008, first at Weekend Today before joining the Nine Sydney News team in 2013.
Ousted Queensland news boss Amanda Paterson is also suing Nine for wrongful dismissal
The Australian newspaper revealed that Paterson had been fired after 31 years of service during a meeting on November 7.
Last week he launched legal action against Nine Entertainment and head of news and current affairs Fiona Dear, seeking damages arising from an unlawful dismissal.
On the day Nine fired her, Paterson was allegedly asked to attend a quick meeting with Ms Dear, who appeared via video link from Sydney and told her her job was being terminated with immediate effect.
Paterson was then allegedly escorted out of the office without the opportunity to say goodbye to staff or retrieve her puppy from her office, which was there as part of Nine’s workplace pet policy.
A Human Resources staff member later handed her the puppy outside the office.
Paterson was reportedly told she had been fired as a result of three alleged workplace violations.
They included failing to complete his internal online ‘training modules’, botching a contract extension for one of his staff members, and an incident in the office in which he made a light-hearted reference to the company’s recent removal of ‘assholes’.