Channel Nine’s workplace culture is no stranger to allegations of discrimination, sexual harassment, physical assault and abuse of power and high level executives behaving poorly at workplace events.
Of the Channel Nine employees surveyed earlier this year, over half reported experiencing some form of discrimination, harassment or bullying, and a third of respondents said they had experienced sexual harassment.
In December 2022 the Human Rights Commission introduced a ‘positive duty’ requirement imposing a legal obligation on organisations to take proactive and meaningful action to prevent unlawful conduct from occurring in the workplace or in connection to work. Channel Nine have once again been put in the spotlight as executive producer David Richardson was dismissed following allegations of inappropriate remarks made at the company Christmas party just two weeks ago. This is the latest in a series of departures for inappropriate behaviour.
While it is encouraging to see a prompt response by Channel Nine management in dismissing Richardson, it is time for businesses to shift focus toward actively preventing workplace sexual harassment, sex discrimination and other unlawful conduct rather than responding only after it occurs. Regardless of the size or resources of an organisation, all businesses have an obligation to meet the positive duty.
Read more: The Positive Duty in the Sex Discrimination Act
Channel Nine executive dismissed: Workplace culture in the spotlight | YourLifeChoices