Statement on the appointment of Catherine West as chair of Nine

The new chair of Nine must act quickly to restore the confidence of editorial staff by enacting measures to make its newsrooms safe workplaces where the work of journalists is respected and supported.

MEAA calls on the new chair and senior management to work with union representatives to wipe out the toxic culture of harassment, bullying, sexual harassment and favouritism that has made Nine’s television newsrooms unsafe workplaces, particularly for women.

Nine has been far too slow to acknowledge and take seriously the concerns raised by editorial staff about the failings of management in providing safe workplaces.

Poor management culture starts at the top, and the announcement of a new chair is an opportunity to reset by beginning to take the actions that the previous chair and senior management have been unwilling or unable to do.

The journalists who work for Nine are the company’s biggest asset, and the first priority of the new chair must be to demonstrate through actions – not only words – that journalism is valued and respected at Nine.