B&TB&TB&T
  • Advertising
  • Campaigns
  • Marketing
  • Media
  • Technology
  • Regulars
    • Agency Scorecards
    • Best of the Best
    • Campaigns of the Month
    • CMO Power List
    • CMOs to Watch
    • Culture Bites
    • Fast 10
    • New Business Winners
    • Spotlight on Sponsors
  • Jobs
  • Awards
    • 30 Under 30
    • B&T Awards
    • Cairns Crocodiles
    • Women In Media
    • Women Leading Tech
Search
Trending topics:
  • Cairns Crocodiles
  • Nine
  • Seven
  • Cannes Lions
  • NRL
  • AFL
  • WPP
  • State of Origin
  • B&T Women in Media
  • Thinkerbell
  • Pinterest
  • imaa
  • Anthony Albanese
  • Meta
  • Spotlight on Sponsors
  • ARN
  • Foxtel
  • TV Ratings
  • Radio Ratings
  • Sports Marketing

  • About
  • Contact
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Advertise
© 2025 B&T. The Misfits Media Company Pty Ltd.
Reading: Don Burke Gives Car Crash Defence, As Nine Now Exposed To Potential Staff Class Action
Share
B&TB&T
Subscribe
Search
  • Advertising
  • Campaigns
  • Marketing
  • Media
  • Technology
  • Regulars
    • Agency Scorecards
    • Best of the Best
    • Campaigns of the Month
    • CMO Power List
    • CMOs to Watch
    • Culture Bites
    • Fast 10
    • New Business Winners
    • Spotlight on Sponsors
  • Jobs
  • Awards
    • 30 Under 30
    • B&T Awards
    • Cairns Crocodiles
    • Women In Media
    • Women Leading Tech
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Advertise
© 2025 B&T. The Misfits Media Company Pty Ltd.
B&T > Media > Don Burke Gives Car Crash Defence, As Nine Now Exposed To Potential Staff Class Action
Media

Don Burke Gives Car Crash Defence, As Nine Now Exposed To Potential Staff Class Action

Staff Writers
Published on: 28th November 2017 at 10:12 AM
Staff Writers
Share
5 Min Read
SHARE

It appears Don Burke’s attempts to explain revelations he was a serial abuser of women has done more harm than good.

Appearing on Channel Nine’s (his former employer) A Current Affair last night, Burke told interviewer Tracy Grimshaw that he was a victim of a social media “witch hunt”.

Burke, 70, did admit to a string of extra-marital affairs during the peak of his national TV fame and blamed undiagnosed Asperger’s syndrome for his behaviour, something that has infuriated actual Asperger’s sufferers.

Following the ACA interview, Autism Awareness Australia tweeted: “Autism Awareness Australia is sickened tonight by Don Burke’s excuse of undiagnosed Aspergers as a reason for his appalling behaviour. What kind of human sinks this low?”

Screen Shot 2017-11-28 at 10.09.05 am

Burke told Grimshaw he had no recollection of the accusations against him, many dating back more than three decades.

“I’m not that man at all,” he said in the ACA interview. “I’ve got a lot of failings. Some of these things are despicable.

“I am happy to say to the people of Australia: this is my story, make up your mind if I’m the most evil person that’s ever lived, that’s your decision.

“If you can forgive me for the stupidity and the other things I have done then I am very grateful, but I think that’s their decision not mine.

“I have looked in the mirror and there’s a lot I don’t like. But that’s up to the people of Australia to decide can they forgive me or not,” Burke said.

On the string of affairs, he added: “I think I’ve got a bit to apologise for to my family and also to the people who supported Burke’s Backyard. There are things I’ve done that I’m not at all proud of.”

Meanwhile, Channel Nine may not escape the whole furore either after revelations senior management at the network turned a blind eye to Burke’s behaviour back in the 90s and fostered a culture of endemic bullying.

The Australian is reporting that Channel Nine could be exposed to a potential class action by Burke’s accusers and could be in serious strife if its found that Nine bosses were in anyway complicit.

The Oz quotes Shine Lawyers defamation special counsel Roger Singh who has said media companies could be in serious strife if they are found to have breached their duty of care to their employees.

Singh said: “You have to be able to demonstrate that there was a breach of duty of care and negligence on the part of the institution … on the basis that it knew, or ought to have known, the propensity of the ­offender to inflict abuse, but didn’t take appropriate action.”

The problem for Nine could well be comments in the press yesterday from senior Nine figures during Burke’s time with the network that appear to suggest they knew of his predatory behaviour.

The then CEO of Nine, David Leckie, said of Burke: “I’ve been trying to think of Harvey Weinstein-type people [in Australia] and the only one I can ever come up with is Burke. He was a horrible, horrible man.”

While Leckie’s predecessor at Nine, Sam Chisolm, said: “Don Burke was a disgrace because of his behaviour internally and externally” before adding he was a “terrible grub”.

To its credit, Nine has opened a full investigation into the allegations against Burke and encouraged any employee – past or present – to come forward.

In Nine’s defence, Burke’s Backyard was made by Burke’s own production company CTC Productions and not by Nine staff or at Nine’s studios.

In a statement to media yesterday, Nine said: “The allegations are extremely serious; the behaviour described is completely unacceptable and would not be tolerated at Nine today.

“Nine has zero tolerance of sexual harassment and workplace bullying and no employee should be subjected to this kind of behaviour. Everyone is entitled to come to work confident that our workplace is safe, free from harassment and unacceptable behaviour will be dealt with effectively.”

Join more than 30,000 advertising industry experts
Get all the latest advertising and media news direct to your inbox from B&T.

No related posts.

TAGGED: aca, Channel Nine, Don Burke, tracy grimshaw
Share
Staff Writers
By Staff Writers
Follow:
Staff Writers represent B&T's team of award-winning reporters. Here, you'll find articles crafted with industry experience spanning over 50 years. Our team of specialists brings together a wealth of knowledge and a commitment to delivering insightful, topical, and breaking news. With a deep understanding of advertising and media, our Staff Writers are dedicated to providing industry-leading analysis and reporting, both shaping the conversation and setting the benchmark for excellence.

Latest News

Agency Scorecard: Special
09/07/2025
Agency Scorecard: iProspect
09/07/2025
Meet Adland’s Best Number-Whisperers In The Best Of The Best Data Scientists!
09/07/2025
State Vs State, Campaign Vs Campaign: Brands Go Head-To-Head In The Origin Decider
09/07/2025
//

B&T is Australia’s leading news publication magazine for the advertising, marketing, media and PR industries.

 

B&T is owned by parent company The Misfits Media Company Pty Ltd.

About B&T

  • About
  • Contact
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Advertise

Top Categories

  • Advertising
  • Campaigns
  • Marketing
  • Media
  • Opinion
  • Technology
  • TV Ratings

Sign Up for Our Newsletter



B&TB&T
Follow US
© 2025 B&T. The Misfits Media Company Pty Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Register Lost your password?