Craig McLachlan launches legal action against ABC, Fairfax and Christie Whelan Browne
Australian television and theatre personality Craig McLachlan has launched legal action against Fairfax Media and the ABC following the media outlets’ reports on his alleged sexual harassment and on-set bullying.
Seven News has tonight reported it was at the scene when McLachlan’s legal representatives served the ABC and Fairfax Media with the legal documents. Seven’s Paul Kadak, who was at the Supreme Court where the statement of claim was lodged, said McLachlan was also taking action against his former co-star in the Rocky Horror Show, Christie Wheelan Browne.
McLachlan will be represented by QC Stuart Littlemore and defamation lawyer Mark O’Brien
Onya Craig. Hope you take down these neo-marxists for all they’re worth.
This will be a fascinating case.
If the claims are found to be defamatory this will be the end of the public naming and shaming, for better or worse.
Well done mate. You have handled these grubs exactly as you should have. Like a gentleman. I have known you to be lighthearted and a bit of a larikan but NEVER a predator. Good on ypu for making them clear your name xxx
Go get’em Frakenfurter
Thankyou Vivienne, that is the best report so far.
http://www.savedoctorblake.weebly.com
Go get them Craig…I’m backing you all the way! Xx
Well done Craig. I hope this ends the trial by media in this country. Men need to fight back hard. Innocent until proven guilty.
7 were on the scene.
Where are all these commenters from on this post thus far? Doesn’t seem like the usual Mumbrella crowd?
May the truth be uncovered in court and may justice prevail. Innocent until proven guilty.
Trial by media is not the way to go.
We all saw what trial by media did to Lindy & Michael Chamberlain case.
Media reform changes are needed, even at a voluntary code, to provide victims their right to a fair trial.
Accusers should have all instances of their identity removed until the court has passed its verdict.
The same way we treat recording of kids, and others in front of active court hearings.
We need to trust the legal system and not provide mass reach platforms for accusers to unfairly amplify their claims.
Onya Craig those bloody women (of which I am one) have to know to keep their(I mean our, as I am a woman) opinions and suffering to themselves.
Exactly my point about ‘naming and shaming’. There is a very specific definition of sexual harrassment and abuse that many misunderstand. Same with bullying in the workplace. If someone treats everyone the same (doing terrible stuff) they are just defined as a ‘bad manager’ which has no criminal ramifications. So, don’t all get too excited about Naming and Shaming as Cindy Gallop suggests we do. I think it will just backfire onto the accusers. Likewise the evidence required to make any charges stick needs to be super water-tight and in a specific form, and I can assure you even if they are guilty it is hard to make it stick (eg. Let’s think about Michael Jackson having kids in his bed, and children making claims that couldn’t be proven…hmm).
Realistically, things were bad in the past in our industry but I think it is hard to go back and point fingers when it was the ‘norm’ and both men and women didn’t know any different.
Don’t get me wrong – actual legally classified sexual harrassment and bullying certainly needs to be dealt with and in any time frame to get justice (eg. Rolf Harris, Harvey Weinstein) but like my former creative directors who put their penis on my shoulder, showed me their nude photos to convince me to sleep with them, or were just plain revolting there is nothing we can do and neither we should. None of those people would be likely to do any of this today because we all know better.
There are worse things than this behaviour or ‘bawdry behaviour’ – like being ignored without discernible reason, like not being heard in a meeting when you actually are the one saying the smartest stuff, like missing out on the jobs that the boys get, or like not being paid the same for the same work. I can deal with a penis on my shoulder much easier than that stuff!
Stay strong Christie.
It’s a lose lose game for women who speak out. Hoping that some good comes out of this and it doesn’t lead to women doing what they have always done until 2017 – staying quiet and putting up with it.
So, just another reminder that there is no law against asking someone you work with on a date and like in this video having Craig and Ita Buttrose flirt with each other… the issue is only when it becomes persistent, after you have asked them to stop or as a way to use power for gain.
Perhaps @Mumbrella could help the industry actually understand what sexual harrassment and bullying really is by a professional HR person? I think there are a lot of men afraid to move these days and a lot of people wasting time and making accusations that can’t be proven. There are massive costs and reputations at stake here… This would be a good service to the industry… Just a thought.
I believe these women allegations….[edited under Mumbrella’s comment moderation policy].
I know this is an old article. I know none of the people involved, but have worked with sexual assault victims.It appears that Mr. McLachlan has been the victim of not only trial by media, but an almost vendetta by the networks trying to defend the poor research before publishing what they did. In all this time they have found only a few others who claim inappropriate behavior and those are being dragged into the proceeding. By the descriptions that have come out, he was the victim of sexual assault though men are more loathe to say anything. The investigation into Weinstein was conducted for 18 months before anything was published and there were hundreds of complaints. There does not appear to be a pattern as the newspaper claimed. So it appears that the victim was named before the facts came out and his career destroyed. Sexual assault is horrible for men and women. Most do not fully recover or have severe flashbacks. However, before destroying someone life, one would expect a responsible reporter and news media would have all the facts. It appears because of his past roles, he was an easy target. Unfortunately, sometimes memories change or there is regret on a persons part. The courts and police should be contacted long before the media.