The Channel Ten political reporter Tegan George has expanded her bullying claim against the network, alleging it has failed to stop Peter van Onselen from “tormenting” her in social media posts.
In February George accused the Ten political editor of undermining and humiliating her, including by backgrounding other journalists against her, according to the statement of claim filed against the network in the federal court.
George has now updated that claim to allege she has been further victimised because she exercised her right to go to court under the Fair Work Act.
According to the statement of claim, George has been unable to work since June last year and was recently in hospital. She claims she suffered “hurt, humiliation and distress” and the loss of opportunity to advance her career at the network, in part due to her alleged treatment by Van Onselen.
According to George’s lawyers, Maurice Blackburn, Van Onselen was referring to George when he tweeted in March in response to a tweet about claims that the late Labor senator Kimberley Kitching or her supporters had labelled several colleagues “mean girls”. Van Onselen wrote: “… accusations are not always accurate. Sometimes they say more about who points the figure without actual evidence. Most of us don’t know enough to form any kind of judgement”.
George alleges Van Onselen was further victimising her last month when he said in response to a tweet about a separate case involving Peter Dutton: “Frivolous misuses of the federal court really do need to be stamped out …” Her claim also cites Van Onselen’s response to a critical tweet from Brittany Higgins: “Your thoughts of if the hospitalised person is backgrounding journalists? Stoking attention. Very genuine question.”
The claim alleges Van Onselen tweeted about George despite a Network Ten policy which requires employees not to bully or harass people on social media.
According to the statement of claim, George was in hospital at the time.
The statement of claim alleges George was required to work “in a workplace that was hostile to women”, in breach of the Sex Discrimination Act.
Maurice Blackburn principal Josh Bornstein said George was seeking additional aggravated damages.
“Network Ten’s management has been unwilling to rein in Mr Van Onselen,” Bornstein alleged. “He continued to publicly vilify Ms George after she went to court, causing her immense distress.
A spokesperson for the Ten network criticised George’s legal team for issuing a media release about her updated statement of claim, which was filed with the court.
“We are astonished that Maurice Blackburn Lawyers is seeking to prosecute these claims through a press release, pre-empting due process of the court and the proper administration of justice,” they said.
“In its filed defence, Network 10 has previously denied the claims of victimisation and adverse action.
“Network 10 intends to seek to strike out the new claims of sex discrimination. The court has established a timetable for that action.
“Network 10 values and supports all employees. Any inference to the contrary is completely false.”
Van Onselen has also been approached for comment.
In February he told the ABC: “I’m looking forward to Channel Ten defending [the claim], which they are doing but I just can’t speak publicly about it, unfortunately.”
In its defence filed in the federal court in March, Ten rejected George’s allegations and requested that more than 20 claims be struck out because they were “embarrassing” and “vague”.
Ten denied that an earlier series of tweets by Van Onselen referred to George.
“We have offered and provided support to all employees involved in this matter,” the network said in March. “This support will continue.”
