Channel Seven has sought a gag order over court documents and what it called potentially “salacious” communications after a journalist sued the network over her tenure at the Spotlight program.
Amelia Saw last month launched Federal Court proceedings against the network under the Fair Work Act, claiming she was subjected to a hostile working environment.
Ms Saw is suing for general breach of protections over her time at the troubled program in 2022.
Lawyers for both sides appeared before Justice Nye Perram on Friday as Seven sought a suppression order over parts of a statement of claim, as well as an amended statement of claim, which have been filed with the court.
Barrister Kate Eastman, acting for Seven, told the court Seven was seeking a suppression order over parts of the documents.
As well, the network says Ms Saw’s legal team should not have been allowed to make several amendments to its statement of claim, which was filed with the court last month.
The court was told the amended documents included communications and emails.
Justice Perran last month ordered both parties to attend mediation later this year, in an attempt to come to a settlement.
Ms Eastman said on Friday that if parts of the statement of claim were published it would put Seven “in a particularly difficult position in terms of preparing for a mediation”.
“It’s not our submission that we’re saying ‘we are prejudiced’. What we’re saying is that the interests and the process of justice is prejudiced by the release of this information at this stage,” Ms Eastman said.
Justice Perran said that the case could involve “the washing of a large amount dirty linen in public”.
Seven’s application was opposed by rival media companies, as well as lawyers acting for Ms Saw.
Ms Saw’s barrister Philip Boncardo described the network’s application as “unprecedented” and said his client did not oppose the material being made public.
“The substance of this application is that Channel Seven, in effect, seeks to avoid embarrassment by the public airing of the allegations made by my client,” Ms Shaw’s barrister Philip Boncardo said
A Seven spokesperson previously said that Seven denied the allegations made by Ms Saw.
“Seven Network strongly and categorically rejects the allegations by Amelia Saw,” a spokesperson said.
Justice Nye reserved his decision and will hand down his decision on the suppression order at a later date.
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