Aunty’s bad reception It’s not quite Antoinette Lattouf territory, but the ABC is quietly battling an unfair dismissal case involving one of its long-serving radio presenters that could yet prove a headache for management.
Aunty’s bad reception
It’s not quite Antoinette Lattouf territory, but the ABC is quietly battling an unfair dismissal case involving one of its long-serving radio presenters that could yet prove a headache for management.
A veteran NewsRadio presenter who says he was dumped after more than six years on air has scored an early win in the Fair Work Commission, after the national broadcaster’s bid to have his unfair dismissal claim thrown out was rejected.
Christopher Mitchell, a familiar voice on NewsRadio since 2019, claimed he returned from a family trip to Britain earlier this year to discover his ABC email account had vanished, his network access had been cut off and he had stopped receiving newsroom rosters.
He alleged he was then told by management on February 5 that he would receive no further shifts.
The ABC argued that Mitchell hadn’t completed the minimum employment period required to bring an unfair dismissal claim and, in any event, had not actually been dismissed because he continued performing casual work elsewhere within the organisation.
Commissioner Peter Crawford was unconvinced.
In a blunt ruling, Crawford found Mitchell had completed more than six years of ‘regular and systematic’ casual employment and had a reasonable expectation of ongoing work.
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It’s not quite Antoinette Lattouf territory, but the ABC is battling an unfair dismissal case involving one of its long-serving radio hosts that could yet prove a headache for management
Christopher Mitchell (pictured) claims he was unfairly dismissed from the ABC
He also found the ABC terminated Mitchell’s employment on February 5 after deciding not to renew his NewsRadio contract, removing his access credentials and ceasing to allocate him shifts.
The commissioner accepted evidence that Mitchell worked 154 shifts in the year before his removal and earned more than $80,000 annually from the broadcaster for five consecutive financial years.
Particularly awkward for Aunty was Crawford’s finding that its suggestion Mitchell’s move from NewsRadio to ABC Sport represented ‘business-as-usual’ was ‘somewhat disingenuous’.
Mitchell was required to sign a new contract, was paid less and performed what the commissioner described as more limited, less frequent work.
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‘The ABC’s suggestion that this is essentially just “business-as-usual”… cannot be accepted,’ Crawford wrote.
The unfair dismissal claim will now proceed to conciliation.
‘As the matter is currently before the commission, it would be inappropriate for the ABC to comment,’ said an ABC spokesperson.
Besties under a microscope
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Rumours of a rift between ‘besties’ Jackie ‘O’ Henderson and Gemma O’Neill (pictured together) reached fever pitch this week, prompting the talent manager to speak out
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Gemma O’Neill has finally addressed rumours of a falling-out with star client Jackie ‘O’ Henderson, giving her first on-the-record response to the gossip that has gripped the radio industry.
For weeks, questions have swirled about their friendship, with some even suggesting that Henderson was considering legal action against O’Neill.
Yet neither woman moved to shut down the claims – at least not publicly.
The whispers grew louder this week when sources alleged that Henderson had failed to publicly congratulate O’Neill on her pregnancy with partner Scott Menz – proof, they said, of the widening gulf between the long-time friends.
The deeply personal nature of the latest chatter moved O’Neill to speak out.
‘These stories are inaccurate and ridiculous,’ O’Neill told Inside Mail on Wednesday.
‘Jackie was the first person I told when we found out we were pregnant and the rest is just hurtful, untrue gossip.’
Another source close to Henderson said that the only reason she did not like Menz’s post announcing O’Neill’s pregnancy was because his Instagram account is private and she does not follow him.
Meanwhile, Henderson continues to pursue Federal Court proceedings against her former employer ARN, seeking more than $82million in compensation over the termination of her contract following the dramatic collapse of The Kyle and Jackie O Show. ARN strongly disputes the claims and is defending the matter.
The case continues.
Mary, Mary, quite contrary
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Despite a few awkward moments on air this week, Mary Madigan remains optimistic about her future on Kyle Sandilands Live
Shock jock Kyle Sandilands‘ decision to hire outspoken lefty Mary Madigan as his newsreader-slash-sidekick was always a curious move.
And the News.com.au reporter certainly had a crash course in the world of King Kyle during her first week on his live, subscribers-only podcast.
There were jibes about her weight. A suggestion that everyone at News Corp ‘hated’ her (which isn’t true). And then there was the stink face she pulled when Sandilands expressed regret over promoting the Covid vaccine, a familiar refrain among TV and radio hosts who have traded the mainstream for independence.
We’ll be honest: we’ve heard some unkind chatter to the effect of, ‘Surely this can’t last.’
But Madigan remains optimistic, telling Inside Mail shortly after wrapping Wednesday’s live broadcast: ‘Kyle and I don’t agree on things but that doesn’t mean we don’t enjoy a show together.
‘We’re disagreeing, but hopefully in a fun and entertaining way.’
Victim gets the last word
The young woman raped by failed footballer Tom Silvagni was quick to praise new Victorian Premier Ben Carroll for introducing laws that would prevent convicted rapists from having their identities protected by suppression orders.
Silvagni and fellow grub Ralph Carr were, shamefully, allowed to keep their names out of the press during their rape trials and remained anonymous for a brief period after their separate convictions.
Mental health grounds were used by Tom Silvagni (pictured with his mother Jo) to successfully keep his name from being publicised while facing a rape charge
News outlets that breached the orders faced fines, while editors could even be jailed.
Carroll, who succeeded Jacinta Allan as leader of the Victorian Labor Party last month, is promising to put a stop to that if Labor wins the next election.
While the proposed changes apply only to those already convicted of rape, and accused offenders can still have their names suppressed during trial if they can find a psychiatrist able to convince a magistrate that their mental health is too fragile, it is nevertheless a step in the right direction.
Carroll and Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny are also vowing to end so-called ‘good character references’ as a mitigating factor in sentencing, following NSW’s lead.
The developments were welcomed on Tuesday by Silvagni’s victim, whom we cannot name but who has spoken publicly about the case on social media.
She reposted an article by The Daily Aus and an X post by Carroll, adding: ‘An amazing day for Victoria.’
Boycott… me?
A campaign to cancel The Daily Telegraph was launched to a whimper last week.
Making the case for a Sun-style boycott, activist Alex McKinnon argued that while the Tele might claim to be ‘for Western Sydney’, it ‘has built its business on targeting, vilifying, and profiting from Australia’s minority communities’.
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A source sent us this screenshot showing Jack Nivison of NCA NewsWire ‘liking’ an Instagram post calling for a boycott of The Daily Telegraph, a paper that regularly publishes his copy
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Editor Ben English called it ‘gormless gibberish’ – which we think is being too generous. More intriguing than the campaign itself, however, is the question of who within News Corp’s ranks appears to be backing it.
When McKinnon’s boycott was announced on Instagram by Cheek Media, the news outlet founded by Anthony Albanese‘s challenger for the seat of Grayndler, Hannah Ferguson, Inside Mail couldn’t help but notice it had been ‘liked’ by Jack Nivison.
Nivison is a breaking news reporter at News Corp’s in-house wire service NCA NewsWire, having joined the organisation as a cadet in late 2024.
His journalism has been featured in the Telegraph.
Whether it was an accidental double-tap or the expression of a sincerely held view, we couldn’t possibly say.
But it’s worth remembering that News Corp is less a unified institution than a many-headed beast. Reporters on the digital side are known to take a dim view of the papers’ editorial decisions and vice versa.
Whatever the case, we’re sure this’ll make for interesting water-cooler chatter at Holt Street on Thursday. News Corp was contacted for comment.
Spotlight on Hanson
Opinion by Rob McKnight, a former producer on Spotlight
Much has been made of 7News Spotlight’s leaked emails revealing its original plan for Pauline Hanson’s story, including sending her to a Syrian refugee camp for ISIS brides.
While that didn’t happen, calling it an ‘extraordinary plan’ is misleading – such ambitious ideas are routinely canvassed for major current affairs programs like Spotlight or 60 Minutes. Television thrives on visual impact and multiple angles; taking Hanson to Syria would have provided both a strong story and plenty of publicity.
Hanson herself declined the trip, and frankly, who wouldn’t? But criticising the producers simply for considering bold ideas is misplaced.
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7News Spotlight’s leaked emails revealed its original plan for Pauline Hanson’s story
Although the emails do raise questions about Seven’s finances after it withdrew from covering costs, the program wasn’t a ‘stitch-up’ as Hanson’s team claimed. The initial pitch focused on ‘uncontrolled immigration’, but the final episode highlighted Hanson’s leadership.
Producers also planned for Nigel Farage to meet Hanson during the London shoot, but he cancelled due to donation controversies and his abrupt ‘resignation’ – soon followed by contesting a by-election.
Things change. Stories evolve, and the news cycle can shift priorities. The Hanson interview aired quickly because its content could ‘expire’ overnight.
Profile pieces often take months to plan and produce, with shooting and editing designed for maximum impact. So, the actual story diverging from the original pitch isn’t surprising.
Hanson got plenty of coverage, Spotlight scored big ratings, so it’s unclear what the complaint is.
Guess who, don’t sue!
Which TV presenter found herself chatting to a conservative woman-about-town at a recent function, only to discover they had different definitions of what constitutes a ‘party’?
The story goes, according to a well-connected source in media and politics, that the two ladies struck up a conversation which soon turned to an important question.
‘Are you a party girl?’ asked the right-winger.
The television host, we’re told, happily confirmed that she was.
So off they went to the women’s loos, presumably for the usual tipsy debrief, lipstick check and, well, you know.
Except, if the gossip is to be believed, our presenter got more than she bargained for.
We’re told the political animal soon made it clear she had something rather more intimate in mind.
What happened next is unclear, but we’d wager the journo fell back on the oldest trick in the book: make your excuses and leave.
The subjects of this blind item are not mentioned or pictured elsewhere in this column.
‘Mamamia Just Reached Out To Me’
If the first rule of PR is ‘any publicity is good publicity’, the second is surely: ‘Don’t try to reason with purple-haired bloggers.’
Mamamia learned that lesson the hard way this week when it tried to politely engage with an independent journalist who penned an unflattering Substack about incoming CEO Luca Lavigne.
A request was made by Mamamia’s camp for Kaleidoscope News, run by self-described ‘fat, autistic, bisexual journalist’ Demi Lynch, to remove an image of Lavigne and his mother, Mamamia founder Mia Freedman, from a blog post.
Lynch, naturally, decided to turn the private email into public content, declaring breathlessly in an Instagram video that ‘Mamamia Just Reached Out To Me’. Dun, dun, dunnnnnnn.
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A request was made by Mamamia for Kaleidoscope News, run by journalist Demi Lynch, to remove an image of CEO Luca Lavigne and his mother, founder Mia Freedman, from a blog post
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Inside Mail understands the issue with the photo was that it’s simply out of date. (Luca Lavigne is pictured – recently – with wife, Jessie Stephens, and their three children)
Lynch’s interpretation of events was that the removal request was Mamamia trying to cover up the fact that Luca is, er, related to his mother and smother that unkind nepo baby chatter.
Inside Mail understands the real issue with the photo was that it’s badly out of date.
Having seen the image ourselves, a young Luca, with his surfer hair, does indeed look decidedly boyish compared to the slightly greying father-of-three he is today.
Could this be the first time in media history that a journo has asked for his byline photo to be updated because it made him look too young?
Belle of the ball?
An off-the-chain rumour was flying around newsrooms earlier this week that Karl Stefanovic had RSVP’d to attend the Logie Awards… with Channel Nine.
Given how he left the network literally clicking his heels with joy after his podcast risked a catastrophic advertiser boycott, it would certainly have been a brazen move.
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Channel Nine has denied rumours that Karl Stefanovic (above, with wife Jasmine) will be attending the Logie Awards as a guest of the network
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But just like last week’s rumour that Stefanovic had once bought a set of compromising pap pics of himself and wife Jasmine, er, canoodling on a yacht, this one also appears to be, regrettably, untrue.
‘Your source is incorrect,’ said a Nine spokesperson.
While he may not be on the guest list, we can only hold out hope that Karlos rocks up in a tank and ‘invades’ the ceremony, Monday Night Wars-style.
Off the record
Everyone is well aware by now of the train wreck that was Albo’s appearance on the Bush Deep podcast.
He agreed he’d ‘shag’ Kylie Minogue if his marriage went ‘tits up’, boasted about ‘bonking like rabbits’ after Souths victories, and in the latest iteration, made that grubby melon joke about Japan’s first female PM.
Our classy leader continues to insist the last one was nothing more than an innocent discussion about fruit. The ‘breasts gesturing’ was a misunderstanding. But someone inside his media team appears somewhat less convinced.
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Albo’s grubby melons joke is the latest in a string of gaffes
The Bush Deep episode is conspicuously absent from the transcript section of the Prime Minister’s official media website.
That would be unremarkable if his office routinely ignored such updates, but it doesn’t. Speeches, press conferences, radio interviews, podcasts and friendly chats with influencers are all dutifully uploaded with due haste. Yet the one interview that became a rolling embarrassment has somehow missed the cut.
So while Albo refuses to concede that he did anything wrong, his own media operation appears to have quietly reached a rather different verdict. It’s treating the podcast like something best kept off the official record.
The invisible woman
Former Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has discovered the joy of being invisible. It’s odd that she felt she needed to travel overseas to experience it.
After losing the Liberal leadership and quitting politics, Ley embarked on a Greyhound journey through America, swapping ministerial luxury for bad coffee, petrol station snacks and dirty bus terminals.
On the ABC’s 7:30 program this week, Ley said travelling anonymously among homeless people, former prisoners and veterans allowed her to ‘find my own voice’ and feel ‘as invisible as the most invisible person on that bus’.
It’s all more than a little delulu if you ask us.
After losing the Liberal leadership and quitting politics, Sussan Ley (pictured) embarked on a Greyhound journey through America
Ley spent 25 years in federal parliament refining the art of invisibility, despite serving as a cabinet minister, deputy Liberal leader and eventually Opposition Leader. Show her photograph to 100 Australians and it’s doubtful many could identify her. Political anonymity wasn’t something she discovered in North Dakota; it was arguably the defining feature of her career.
Still, if freezing bus stations, coffee and endless American highways have given Ley the sense of freedom high office never could, good luck to her.
On the same day she recounted finding her voice, David Farley delivered his maiden speech as the One Nation MP who replaced her in Farrer.
The Real Housewives of Canberra
Real Housewives of Sydney star and The Traitors contestant Krissy Marsh says she would gladly accept an invitation from mining billionaire Gina Rinehart to an exclusive Dolce & Gabbana fashion show – and has mounted a defence of female politicians.
Asked by the Mail about Pauline Hanson‘s appearance at the now-infamous D&G event with Rinehart in Italy, Marsh said she couldn’t understand the backlash.
‘Of course I would go,’ Marsh cooed when asked whether she would join Rinehart at a similar event herself.
‘If one of your friends said, “Come on, I’m going to pay for you on a holiday,” and you said yes, are you going to be ridiculed over it? So why should Pauline?’
Marsh said the criticism of Hanson’s attendance paled in comparison to the scrutiny female politicians face over their intelligence and ability to lead.
In a surprisingly political turn, Marsh invoked former prime minister Julia Gillard, arguing that women in politics are still judged differently from men.
‘I listened to a really good interview with Gillard. She was chatting and said so much of what she experienced came about because she was a female in parliament,’ Marsh said.
‘Would they have ever asked a man, “Do you have the intelligence?” I don’t think they would.’
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Krissy Marsh (pictured) invoked Julia Gillard as she slammed media coverage of female politicians
Marsh said she was particularly angered by public commentary questioning Hanson’s intellect, describing it as proof that sexism persists in public life.
‘Have we really not come that far?’ she said.
‘I’ve worked in so many male-dominated industries, and I thought the person who said that to her was so wrong. You would never say that to a man.’
The Sydney socialite was surprised the remarks didn’t provoke a stronger response.
‘That really, really annoyed me because I thought it was one of the most sexist things I’ve heard in Australian media,’ she said, noting it was overshadowed by other stories.
‘Everyone’s picked up on Barnaby Joyce barking, but they haven’t picked up on that – and that’s what they should have focused on.’
While Marsh said she didn’t share Hanson’s political views, she was unequivocal that questioning a female politician’s intelligence crosses a line.
‘In this day and age, we should be uplifting other women, not putting them down,’ she said.
The other Hemsworth
Major streaming giants descended on Parliament House this week for a Streaming Australia showcase, with executives, producers, visual effects specialists and industry powerbrokers fanning out through the corridors of power to remind politicians just how much Australia’s screen sector contributes to the economy.
Representatives from Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, HBO Max, Paramount+ and Hayu rubbed shoulders with MPs and senators as the industry pitched the benefits of backing Australian-made content.
But while the streamers came armed with statistics and talking points, the real drawcard was Luke Hemsworth.
The eldest Hemsworth brother, who debuted on Neighbours and now stars in Amazon Prime’s hit Tasmanian crime comedy Deadloch, quickly became the hottest ticket in the room, with parliamentary attendees lining up for selfies and small talk.
Inside Mail spotted one especially excited MP (who shall remain nameless) being quietly reminded that the actor they were about to meet was Luke Hemsworth, not younger brother Liam.
Meanwhile, Luke wasn’t the only celebrity guest attracting attention.
A life-sized model of Grogu, better known to most of the world as Baby Yoda from The Mandalorian, proved equally popular.
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Former Attorney General Mark Dreyfus (left) meeting with Luke Hemsworth (right) and an eerily realistic crocodile model
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A life-sized model of Grogu, known to most of the world as Baby Yoda, was also in the room
Hanson’s hot ticket
Wednesday nights in Canberra are usually reserved for the sitting week’s social circuit, with journalists, staffers, and MPs scattered between the Kingston Hotel, Ostani and a handful of parliamentary watering holes.
But this week, the hottest ticket in town was an impromptu Hanson doorstop outside the News24 studios.
What began as a routine post-interview scrum quickly turned into one of the day’s most crowded media conferences, drawing an unusually large cross-section of the press gallery.
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Hanson’s impromptu doorstop attracted a full press pack in the hallways of Parliament
Among those in attendance were several of Hanson’s media nemeses, including Guardian reporter Josh Butler and a sizeable ABC contingent.
Hanson was taken aback by the crowd waiting as she emerged from the News24 office.
‘What’s happened?’ Hanson said as she arrived.
‘Has the Prime Minister dropped dead or what?’ she asked.
The crush wasn’t without occupational hazards.
AAP reporter Zac de Silva spent much of the doorstop wedged beside a blazing television light, later remarking he could feel the heat building as the presser dragged on.
