Stokes fumes: “How dare you? That’s outrageous”
Seven chairman sees red over question about board member who resigned.
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under News
Seven chairman Kerry Stokes yesterday lashed out at a journalist during the half-yearly results conference call.
After an hour of analysts’ questions, the media was allowed only 15 minutes to ask Stokes and Tim Worner about the affair.
Will Glasgow, from The Australian, queried whether former board member Sheila McGregor had been silenced after she quit just as an independent report into the issue was being published.
“How dare you? That’s outrageous”, Stokes fumed. “Are you seriously suggesting I will tell a director what they can and can’t do?
“The reason remains between her and I,” he added.
When asked if Worner had offered to resign, Stokes said he offered to do what was in the best interests of the company.
But he also took aim at former executive assistant Amber Harrison.
“There was a significant amount of money taken by her and there’s no other excuse for it,” he said.
“We have dishonest people who work for us,” he said.
But friends of Amber Harrison told the Herald Sun “It is wrong that they keep throwing around these expenses figures, making her out to be a fraudster, when she is not,” they said. “This is not about the expenses, but that’s all they’ve got on her, so that’s why they keep bringing it up. And to do it when they have gagged her and she can’t explain herself is extraordinary.”
Source: Fairfax, Daily Mail
4 Responses
So one has to ask what does Tim Worner knows about the chairman or board members that could be embarrassing ?
Doubt this will make 7 news tonight!
I still see this as unacceptable. The situation has not been handled well and it appears all Mr Stokes wants to do is protect Tim Worner.
So many questions and so few answers. Just plenty of lawyers fees to help gag AH while members of the board can have open season against her. Far too one sided for my liking. Did Mr Stokes bring the police in to investigate credit card spending or was it widespread common practice?…..and not controlled by senior execs
Journalists and share holders have every right, to questions you and your board, over a sudden resignation of a former Director of company. If you don’t like the questioning, perhaps your should resign from the board yourself.