A leading ABC presenter has taken action in the Fair Work Commission seeking an order against her employer to stop bullying.
The action has been lodged on behalf of Nicole Chvastek, the high-profile presenter of Victoria’s Statewide Drive radio program for close to a decade. Mark Comito, managing partner of Melbourne employment lawyers Stal, said the action related to “a number of alleged incidents in the workplace”.
A case conference has been listed for Thursday this week.
Chvastek has been missing from the airwaves for several weeks with no explanation given by the ABC. The ABC’s website describes her as a highly regarded journalist who has reported “the big stories for ABC TV 7pm news, Seven Network 6pm news and as television anchor for ABC international’s Asia Pacific news during the South Asian tsunami crisis”.
Chvastek declined to comment.
In regional Victoria, listeners have been vocal in their support for Chvastek who had earned the respect of listeners for her tough questioning of politicians.
Regional masthead The Local reported the social media reaction to her program being covered from Melbourne in her absence: “So so wrong … rural people deserve rural news … bring back Nicole … Melbourne is not our domain.”
And: “This is terrible news. We need Nicole Chvastek on our airwaves. I wouldn’t have thought ABC Ballarat made the decision, think it’s higher up the food chain. I’ll contact ABC Melbourne in the first instance.”
The action against the ABC comes at a time of historic low ratings for its radio network around Australia. The broadcaster has commissioned an investigation into its loss of audience.
The ABC told Crikey it would not comment “given the matter is at FWC”.
bring back jon faine – Red … its sooooo sad – id move on those at the top making such poor choices
I believe it was Jon Faine’s own choice. A pity – his articles in The Age don’t show his strengths which were in interaction.
Would love one of these claims go the distance rather than the public coffers emptied in a confidential settlement
Regional ABC radio has been treated as a poor relation for years by management and is not what it used to be. Yet it remains by far the best.
On the other hand RN (inc. LNL, Sat & Sunday Extra) has become anodyne and been subjected to szalami tactics; first they came for the comments, then transcripts, then pod downloads (knocks out part of their audience), then the Listen app, presenters platform right wing talking points without challenge, but interject on any other points, programs not promoted by presenters/producers vs. news… responses from ABC Audience were non responses.
Recently Friends of the ABC were complaining about declining radio audiences, without seeming to realise above issues, then their way to garner deep feedback was asking ‘what’s your favourite program?’, hardly suggests any analytical intent; the whole point?
The timing of this dispute could not be worse. Our public broadcaster has multiple roles but one of these is as an emergecy broadcaster and has excelled at this in times of trouble. Nicole Chvastek has been there through it all when Western Vic was ablaze, wild storms, lives lost. She is needed now in the aftermath of the horrifically tragic Eynesbury bus crash in the heart of Chvastek country. Please get your act together ABC management. She is sorely missed by many.
The dilution of the traditional legacy media.
Except for Adele Ferguson and Nick McKenzie the Age does not “expose scrutinise…” as in its online marketing. Sometimes also George Megalogenis.
Pandemic does not exist in its pages except for occasional Long Covid – despite nearly 200 deaths in a week in Oz reported on 26 5 23.
Far more deaths under current government than predecessor – yet ABC policy Anything But Covid.
Age Comment – predominance of staffers. Sunday Age – only regulars ‘holding up a column’.
ABC – good on the Pandemic – reports and analysis.
Otherwise. Either “No hard questions” or beating PC drums. Saturday Extra superficial (how long is too long in a chair?) and Sunday morning show in decline too.