- Airlie Walsh has filed a sex discrimination case against Nine
- The former Today reporter is currently on maternity leave.
- It comes in the wake of a damning report into online culture.
- READ MORE FROM THE INSIDE MAIL: Nine’s bitter civil war in the newsroom
A high-profile Nine News reporter who worked on Today is suing the embattled network for alleged sex discrimination following a damning report about the station’s “toxic” culture.
Airlie Walsh, who was a political reporter on the breakfast show, reportedly filed a human rights claim against Nine Entertainment in the Federal Court this week.
Ms 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.
Daily Mail Australia understands its complaint against the broadcaster partly involves two senior executives and alleged inappropriate historical comments made within the newsroom.
It is also believed to include an accusation that the Network did not take his mental health into account when assigning stories.
The mother-of-one’s action comes in the wake of a damning report into Nine’s culture amid allegations of bullying and sexual harassment.
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’.
Airlie Walsh (pictured, who was a political reporter on the breakfast show, reportedly filed a human rights claim against Nine Entertainment in the Federal Court this week
Ms 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.
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.
It was initially sparked by the departure of disgraced former news chief Darren Wick, who left the company in March following allegations of sexual harassment, drunken and lewd conduct and serious and inappropriate behaviour.
His departure, and Nine’s handling of the allegations, sparked a company-wide crisis, leading to an exodus of multiple senior executives.
Both Nine Entertainment and Walsh’s lawyers declined to comment.
In 2014, Airlie was one of two journalists broadcasting live from the CBD when police stormed the Lindt Café during the Sydney siege.
In 2019, he secured a one-on-one interview with Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Christmas Island.