Nine settles Spiteri case

Channel Nine has made an undisclosed payment to former reporter Christine Spiteri to bring to a conclusion her grievances with the network. One newspaper article speculates a settlement amount of $100,000 plus her $30,000 legal fees.

But Spiteri appears not to be going lightly, declaring yesterday the “culture of corporate bullying is alive and well at Nine”.

“Is the boys’ club going to change? In my opinion, sadly, no, it doesn’t seem like it,” she told The Sunday Telegraph.

Nine executive director Jeff Browne said he was pleased it was over, describing it as a “senseless case without any merit”.

“We’ve made an offer for basically nuisance value and we are happy that, finally, some common sense has prevailed and the matter is at an end,” he said.

“I don’t believe for a minute that there was any merit in any of the allegations about harassment or discrimination, but the amount we have paid is probably less than what she would have earned, had she continued with the rest of her contract.

“We are not unhappy with the payment and we are very happy that it has been resolved.”

But Ms Spiteri said Mr Browne’s comments were offensive.

“Why would they have paid me a six-figure sum, plus all of my legal costs, if the case did not have merit? It just does not make sense,” she said.

Spiteri’s initial claim is believed to have been for $565,000. In June a Federal Court judge declined Nine’s application to have the case dismissed. It followed her unlawful discrimination complaint being terminated by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission.

Source: Sunday Telegraph