In the face of a crisis, Nine chairman Peter Costello once seemed cool, calm and collected. Last week, when former senior news boss at Nine, Darren Wick, was accused of “alleged inappropriate behaviour”, Costello signed a letter with executives from the company declaring their commitment to “do more”.
“It is important we acknowledge the trauma some of you have experienced in the past, and the distress and frustration the substance of these reports has caused,” the letter reportedly reads.
“It is critical we face up to any failings with integrity and create a workplace that is respectful and positive for all.”
An appropriate way for a leader to manage such allegations – textbook, even. But one week on, it seems Costello has tried a… different approach.
According to footage published by The Australian, journalist Liam Mendes was following Costello in Canberra airport, asking the Nine chairman questions on the Darren Wick allegations.
Suddenly, Costello’s smile turns to a snarl, the footage shows, before he allegedly pushed the journalist to the ground.
“You’ve just assaulted me,” Mendes said from the airport floor.
Mendes continued to follow Costello outside the airport, accusing the Nine chairman of “quite violent behaviour”.
“Journalists who work at Nine approach people in this manner every day,” Mendes said to Costello, “and you attacked me just then.”
Later, Mendes approached eyewitnesses who were at the airport and confirmed the alleged assault.
Costello denied the allegations of assault, suggesting the journalist merely tripped over an advertising placard.
“There is no assault,” Costello told reporters at Parliament House on Thursday evening. “I did not lay a finger or a fist or anything else on him.”
Costello also told reporters that Mendes was “a pretty aggressive journalist” and encouraged people to watch the whole video.
Should the allegations of assault at Canberra airport be true, it seems a far cry from the respect and positivity Costello said he and the executive team at Nine are committed to.
When the allegations of Darren Wick sexually harassing female journalists emerged last week, Nine announced it would conduct an external independent review for the news and current affairs team. The executives also said a dedicated hotline to report workplace sexual harassment would be available for employees, and all workers at Nine are now required to completed refreshed sexual harassment prevention training.
These commitments were words written in an email to employees at Nine. And as we know, actions speak louder. Costello’s seemingly hypocritical behaviour suggests the problem at Nine goes beyond the confines of the newsroom.
What we’ve seen from Costello is nothing new from men on a power trip displaying aggressive behaviour. Examples exist in politics, the private sector, the footy field and any other male-dominated spaces (everywhere).
If “boys will be boys”, then “men in power will be men in power”. And if you’re unhappy being resigned to that fact, then maybe leadership in Australia needs a shake up.