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Michelle Guthrie payout was $730,000

Acting managing director David Anderson reveals payout in a Senate hearing today in Sydney.

ABC’s payout to Michelle Guthrie to drop her case was $730,000 acting managing director David Anderson has revealed in a Senate hearing today in Sydney.

The figure is higher than the $500,000 claimed in a report earlier this week.

It is also in addition to $911,000 termination payout.

Anderson was reluctant to reveal the information to the committee, citing confidentiality and requested to reveal the information in a closed hearing.

“It’s not unusual, I believe, for Commonwealth entities to enter into settlements such as this, and not unusual either for such confidentiality requirements to exist under a deed,” Anderson said.

“We did settle this with an inclusion in the deed… that there is an exception where we consider appropriate to disclose the terms to parliament, government departments, ministers and the Auditor General. As I stated earlier I do have a requirement under that deed not to disclose this publicly.”

But the committee rejected the request and indicated parliamentary privilege.

Revealing that “the parties did start a long way apart” which included a request to be reinstated and full salary of her remaining 2.5 yr contract, he added “The gross amount of that settlement claim is $730,000.”

Guthrie’s case of unfair dismissal was dropped last week after reaching a settlement with the broadcaster.

5 Responses

  1. The $730,000 settlement comes on top of a $912,000 payout Ms Guthrie received when she left the ABC — which means her total compensation is now a whopping $1.64 million.

    1. Guthrie filed a sexual harassment complaint against Milne alleging that he touched her back while bending over to talk to her in a restaurant, then sued the ABC claiming that the contract termination was malicious because of the sexual harassment complaint. The ABC denies this and claims the termination was based on unsatisfactory performance, but a court case would have cost more than the settlement and done a lot more damage to the ABC’s reputation. The ALP and Greens of course forced the ABC to disclose this because voters will blame the Government.

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