The NSW Supreme Court has decided to uphold a Seven West Media injunction on Amber Harrison from talking publicly about her affair with CEO Tim Worner.
Journalists were inside the court room this morning to hear the decision that Harrison’s media gag will remain in place, with Fairfax reporter Michaela Whitbourn suggesting via Twitter that the gag order is likely to become permanent.
Justice McDougall reserves costs. Temporary gag order remains in place against Harrison; looking v likely to be permanent #auslaw #ausbiz
— Michaela Whitbourn (@MWhitbourn) February 21, 2017
There is a “very serious risk” Harrison will not comply with her obligations unless ordered by court, Justice McDougall says #auslaw #ausbiz
— Michaela Whitbourn (@MWhitbourn) February 21, 2017
The decision comes after News Corp and Fairfax teamed up to fight Seven’s media injunction on Harrison in court yesterday morning, arguing that the media should still be allowed to interview Harrison to get her side of the story on her dalliance with Worner.
In handing down his decision, Supreme Court Justice Robert McDougall noted that Harrison exercised the “nuclear option” by airing her grievances on social media, according to Whitbourn, but Seven director Jeff Kennett was “not well-advised” in picking a fight with her in public.
In a scathing editorial published on The Australian last week, Kennett accused Harrison of trying to turn her feud with Seven into a “gender issue” and the the $380,000 paid to her was “too much”.
Kennett also outlined the great lengths the network had gone to placate the former Seven employee following news of her affair with Worner going public and allegations she misused company credit cards.
