Christmas Party scandal erupts as powerful Channel Nine boss is FIRED over alleged ‘inappropriate comments’ at the annual party

EXCLUSIVE

Channel Nine has sacked the executive producer of its Darwin news business after an “incident” at the channel’s Northern Territory Christmas party.

Daily Mail Australia can reveal that legendary television figure David Richardson was sacked by the troubled network on Monday after Nine executives received a formal complaint about his behavior at the festive drinks in Darwin.

Network sources said Richardson – commonly known in media circles as ‘Sluggo’ – was in good spirits at the start of the task force last Friday evening, before allegedly making a number of “inappropriate comments” as the evening progressed.

He was summarily dismissed on Monday – just seven weeks after moving to the NT capital from Sydney to oversee the city’s news operations.

Before taking on the leading role, Richardson worked as a senior producer on Nine’s now-defunct true crime series Under Investigation with Liz Hayes.

It is understood that Richardson was not provided with the specific details of his alleged indiscretion before being fired by the network and as a result was unable to defend himself against the allegations.

The former Today Tonight reporter was one of the last appointments made by Queensland news boss Amanda Paterson before she was fired without warning last month.

Richardson’s departure means there are now nine news directors missing from four newsrooms in the capital: Sydney, Brisbane, Darwin and Perth.

The industry veteran made headlines in October after posting an online rant about the “bulls**t” he had to endure while trying to find a new job after Under Investigation was canceled in August.

“I must say that the past few months have been challenging,” he wrote on his LinkedIn profile.

‘The work/employment scene is fraught with ageist c**p and incredible prejudice and bulls**t.

“Gone are the old days of someone calling to hire an experienced operator, replaced by multiple interviews, non-replies and companies advertising positions that are already earmarked or don’t exist.”

He later clarified that his comments were “not aimed at my media industry or TV” and were instead a criticism of the public sector and private companies that overlooked older, experienced operators.

He went on to say he was looking forward to working in the Darwin newsroom after being appointed to run the NT news operations.

“My new position has been granted within the TV industry that I love and have served faithfully for decades,” he said.

‘They had the decency to break the age ceiling. I commend them for that.

“I am so humbled and grateful to my group of friends, colleagues and colleagues over decades for their well wishes in my new role.

“You all know who you are. We always talk. We never lost touch.”

The veteran journalist did not respond when contacted by Daily Mail Australia for comment this week.

His resignation comes after Nine’s interim chief executive Matt Stanton introduced a zero-tolerance policy on inappropriate behavior at the network as he looks to revamp the media giant’s workplace culture following a damning external investigation.

The research, conducted by workplace culture firm Intersection and published in October, found Nine had “a systemic problem with abuse of power and authority; bullying, discrimination and harassment; and sexual harassment’.

The survey found that 57 percent of staff in the media company’s broadcast division had experienced bullying, discrimination or harassment in the past five years, while a third said they had been sexually harassed in that period.

According to the report, the company’s toxic culture was enabled by ‘a lack of accountability from leadership; power imbalances; gender inequality and a lack of diversity; and significant distrust in leaders at all levels of the company.”

“Since the publication of the report, we can appreciate the strong desire to understand accountability for inappropriate behavior that has occurred in our workplace,” he told employees in the wake of the independent investigation.

“There is no place at Nine for the abuse of power, bullying, sexual harassment or inappropriate behavior as outlined in the Intersection report or for people who behave in such a way.

“Change will happen at Nine and individuals will be held to account for this type of behaviour.

‘If a complaint is upheld, the consequences will be appropriate and proportionate, ranging from advice, formal disciplinary action to termination of employment.’

Paterson claims the network unfairly used the anonymous findings of the highly publicized cultural report to terminate her after 31 years of service during a brief meeting on November 7.

She has since taken legal action against Nine Entertainment and news and current affairs director Fiona Dear, seeking 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 escorted from the building without the chance to say goodbye to staff or collect her puppy from her office, which was there as part of Nine’s workplace pet policy.

Instead, an HR employee was sent to pick up the puppy while Paterson waited in the network’s parking lot.

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.

In an email confirming her departure, Dear said: “Just wanted to let you know that QTQ News director Amanda Paterson has finished with Nine today.

‘While we formalize the internal and external recruitment process to replace the role, Kate Donnison has agreed to step in at short notice until QTQ EP Brendan Hockings returns from the US and is on annual leave.

“Brendan will then serve in this role until we complete the recruitment process to ensure leadership stability during this period.”

Meanwhile, no reasons have been publicly given for the shock departure of former Nine Sydney news director Simon Hobbs, which Dear announced to staffers at a “town hall” meeting on November 13, a week after Paterson was fired.

“I wanted to let you know about some further changes to the News & Current Affairs leadership team,” Dear said in the email.

‘Simon Hobbs wraps up at the end of this week… with Nine.

“Current Deputy News Director Margie McLew will assume the responsibilities of News Director until a permanent replacement is finalized.

‘Simon will support Margie from home to ensure a seamless transition and transfer of leadership before he exits the business on Friday 15 November.

“We are looking to fill three news director positions… the positions are now online… and I encourage anyone interested to apply or arrange a confidential interview.”

Hobbs has run Nine’s Sydney office for almost 13 years, having rejoined the network in 2012 after six years as a producer in the US.

Employees were quick to point out that neither email thanked the departing news executives for their time at the network or their contributions to the company.

It is understood Dear will wrap up business for the network for the year on Friday before heading off for an extended four-week holiday during the non-rating period.

The role of news director in Perth became vacant after former news boss Gareth Parker was appointed to run the station’s national news desk.

The departure comes amid revelations. Today, political reporter Airlie Walsh is also suing the network in federal court for sex discrimination.

The details of her claim have yet to be publicly released, but it is understood they relate to historical interactions with a number of senior managers within the embattled media company.