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Ex-‘Choppergate’ reporter now sacked by Seven

Seven Queensland sacked Melissa Mallet yesterday, the same reporter who was sacked by Nine following the infamous 'Choppergate' saga.

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Seven Queensland sacked reporter Melissa Mallet yesterday, the same reporter who was sacked by Nine News following the infamous ‘Choppergate’ saga of 2011.

The Townsville affiliate dismissed her for disobedience, according to news.com.au.

The Courier-Mail reports Mallet sought permission from to take last Friday off work to go to Melbourne for the announcement of the Australian Olympic basketball team. Her boyfriend, Peter Crawford, was playing.

Seven Queensland didn’t grant her leave but Mallet decided to go anyway.

“I felt that it was something that I needed to do,” she said.

Mallet indicated she was keen to remain in Townsville with Crawford.

Following her dismissal from Nine, Mallet instigated legal proceedings against the network which were settled out of court.

20 Responses

  1. @JB – I think your being a bit dramatic…… you do realise she was working for Seven Queensland Townsville…. Not CNN.
    What did she miss the NRL match in Townsville? Cant imagine it was a big news day
    Anyway as everyone else has said there is more to the story

  2. @JB: I get your point and agree to a certain extent, re: duty calls and all that. Not sure I agree -entirely- with your other comparisons but maybe a discussion for another place and time.

  3. Given her growing notoriety she’d be a shoo-in for the now open Breakfast slot on Channel 10.
    That network has displayed a penchant for hiring disgraced media presenters after all….

    @Secret Sqrl: Excellent question, thanks for the laugh, I needed that!

  4. @Andrew – This was hardly a family “commitment”, like a funeral or a wedding.
    Boyfriend’s basketball? Nope.
    As said earlier, there’s more to the story anyway.
    Next job interview: “And why did ytou leave Nine?”. Hmm. “And why did you leave Seven?”. Hmmm.

  5. @Andrew, essentially, yes. Not saying no days off ever, but always on call yes. Boxing Day Tsunami, imagine if all the journos said no, sorry it’s our day off. There’s a reason its called ABC News 24.
    I’m sure David can agree. Even when he’s on “hiatus” he’s breaking news on here.

  6. Based on details that we do have it sounds like she was overstepping the mark.

    Is she going to the Olympics to watch him play? An announcement of a team is hardly the same thing as the actual game itself.

    You pick your battles in life and she picked badly.

  7. @Secret Squirrel, LMAO, that is gold!!!

    Unfortunately for Miss Mallet, she defied an order and has to take the consequences. No means no and whilst I think it is somewhat mean-spirited of her employer, she was obviously needed that day for a reason.

  9. @JB: So any journalist can expect to be ‘on call’ 24/7/365 and basically put their entire personal life on hold and never have a day off… ever.

    Life and family commitments still happen around work… even to journalists.

  10. Why couldn’t she have gone to work in Townsville as usual but just told her boyfriend that she was near Melbourne? She was apparently comfortable with that sort of shenanigans before.

  12. She was told “no” for one reason or another.
    Defy your boss and expect the consequences.
    Could have been more reasons anyway.
    Boyfriend playing or whatever overrules work? I don’t think so. Not as if it was a serious medical issue.

  15. When i studied journalism, i learnt news doesn’t take days off. It happens 24/hrs a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. If you’re not committed to the job during that time, you’re not gonna be a good journo.

  16. C’mon Seven Queensland.. talk about mean spirited. Her partner was being named in an Olympics team presentation, surely a day off to be there for him was warranted. Absolutely shameful Seven Queensland..

  18. I dont blame her i would have done the same thing. If my partner was about to go to the Olympics, work would be the last thing on my mind.
    She’ll get another job…. maybe back at Nine reporting on the Olympics

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