Loyal Nine staffers are rallying around Airlie Walsh to offer her their full support following shocking revelations that she is suing the network for discrimination.
The popular Today Show political reporter has even received public support from one of the media company’s biggest names, with 2GB’s Ben Fordham taking to the airwaves on Wednesday morning to describe her as ‘a first-class human being’ and ‘a thoroughly decent and honest human being’.
Fordham’s comment came after he drew his listeners’ attention to revelations – first made public by Nine’s own newspapers – that Walsh sued Nine in the Federal Court after filing a sexual discrimination complaint in the field last week of human rights had submitted.
“There’s a story today about someone I know well,” he told his top-rated breakfast show audience.
“Look, I was just about to say this about Airlie Walsh.
“First of all, I haven’t discussed the matter with her at all, so I’m not privy to the details of Airlie’s complaint… but I’ve known Airlie for a long time.
“They say she’s been with 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 her being a work experience kid as a reporter.
“Then she became a producer, then she became a reporter — and a great reporter at that.
Airlie Walsh has filed a human rights claim against Nine Entertainment in federal court
Walsh has won the public backing of one of Nine’s biggest names, radio king Ben Fordham
‘And I believe Airlie Walsh is a thoroughly decent and honest person and I will be watching with interest to see what happens with her case.
“She’s a first-class person, a very good reporter, and Airlie, I’m thinking of you this morning.”
Walsh’s lawsuit has caught many in the media industry off guard.
Walsh, who is currently on maternity leave, has been with 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 lawsuit became public just days after Nine’s recently sacked Queensland news boss Amanda Paterson claimed the media company had unfairly used the anonymous findings of its much-discussed cultural report to fire her.
The report, carried out by culture company Intersection, concluded that Nine had “a systemic problem with abuse of power and authority; bullying, discrimination and harassment; and sexual harassment’.
The survey also found that half of the Nine’s employees had witnessed or experienced abuse of power, harassment and discrimination, and that numerous confidential complaints had been filed against some of the Nine’s most senior male and female incumbent executives.
Walsh has been with 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 unfair dismissal
The Australian newspaper revealed at a meeting on November 7 that Paterson had been dismissed after 31 years of service.
Last week she launched legal action against Nine Entertainment and news and current affairs director Fiona Dear, claiming damages arising from wrongful termination.
On the day she was fired by Nine, Paterson was reportedly asked to attend a brief meeting with Ms Dear, who appeared via video link from Sydney and told her her employment was being terminated with immediate effect.
Paterson was then reportedly escorted out of the office without having a chance to say goodbye to staff or pick up her puppy from her office, which was there as part of Nine’s workplace pet policy.
An HR worker later gave her the puppy outside the office.
Paterson was reportedly told she had been fired as a result of three alleged workplace violations.
These included failing to complete her internal online ‘training modules’, failing to get a contract renewal for one of her staff, and an office incident in which she made a flippant reference to the recent removal of ‘d***heads’ from the company.