0/5

“Choppergate” case goes before Fair Work Australia

Former Channel Nine reporter Melissa Mallet and Nine square off at Fair Work Australia over "Choppergate" blame.

Former Channel Nine reporter Melissa Mallet has told Fair Work Australia that she did not know that that her location would be falsely reported in the now-infamous “Choppergate” scandal of 2011.

Mallett was sacked by Nine after the words “near Beerwah” were superimposed while she was actually near Nine’s Mount Coot-tha studios. Journalist Cameron Price and producer Aaron Wakely were also sacked.

She had been reporting on the search for the remains of missing Sunshine Coast teenager Daniel Morcombe at the time.

Her lawyer says she was not involved in misleading viewers.

The Courier Mail reports a 52-minute video was shown yesterday, including audio from a promo before the news bulletin that they were reporting from Beerwah.

Following this Ms Mallet was seen laughing and said “they must be going to say we’re near Beerwah”.

Lawyers for Nine, said Ms Mallet made no attempt to correct the incorrect information that was aired in the promotion or raise the issue with staff.

Nine Queensland’s managing director Kylie Blucher and head of news Mark Calvert are also expected to be called to give evidence.

Cameron Price withdrew his action against the Nine Network last October.

3 Responses

  1. This case just doesnt make sense!? How can a reporter get sacked for being told what to do? Its not an employees right to speak up and raise an issue. Her producer or manager should be the one to go!

Leave a Reply