‘I’m not going to pay it’: Amber Harrison warns she is unable to foot Seven’s legal bill
Amber Harrison, the former lover of Seven West Media CEO Tim Worner, has told Ten Eyewitness News she will not pay Seven’s legal costs, after Justice John Sackar ruled in the network’s favour in the Supreme Court of New South Wales today, concluding a months-long legal battle.
In his ruling, Sackar said: “An order for indemnity costs is not, as the defendant [Harrison] frames it, punishing her for ‘taking a stand’, but rather necessary and appropriate to compensate the plaintiffs [Seven] for the unreasonable costs incurred in these proceedings.”
Harrison however told Ten Eyewitness News’ Melinda Nucifora that the money would not be forthcoming.
The season finale of a sordid affair at the Seven Network, as Amber Harrison is ordered to pay the media giant’s huge legal bill. #TenNewspic.twitter.com/x1fShojH9L
— TEN Eyewitness News (@channeltennews) July 17, 2017
“They knew it would bankrupt me and the Supreme Court of New South Wales has helped them do it,” she said in reference to the protracted legal battle, before noting “I’m not going to pay it [the legal bills] – I can’t pay it.”
Seven however has welcomed the judgement and said it was looking forward to moving on.
The full statement from Seven, released after Sackar’s judgement:
Seven West Media welcomes the Supreme Court decision today.
The Court found that Ms Harrison engaged in numerous breaches of the settlement deed and her employment contract and these breaches were persistent and flagrant.
It found Seven had every entitlement to commence proceedings under the Deed and conducted the proceedings in an entirely orthodox and proper fashion.
The Court also rejected Ms Harrison’s contention that her rights under the settlement deed were manipulated by Seven.
The Court also found that Ms Harrison was given every opportunity to desist from her breaches, consent to the orders earlier and settle with Seven West Media from 27 February 2017.
Ultimately, Ms Harrison put no evidence in support of her claims, which the Court held was because no such evidence existed.
It is regrettable that people such as Ms Harrison falsely and unfairly named in her failed Human Rights Commission complaint were forced to take separate proceedings to protect their names.
Seven West Media looks forward to putting this matter behind us.
Timeline of Amber Harrison’s legal battle with Seven:
19 December: Seven boss Tim Worner’s affair with staffer exposed as legal battle rages over payments
19 December: Seven West Media says Tim Worner will stay as boss as shares fall $100m over scandal
22 December: Seven West Media board orders inquiry into CEO Tim Worner’s sex scandal
23 December: TV stars launch court bid to keep names out of Tim Worner scandal
3 February: Seven West Media board clears CEO Tim Worner of misconduct following probe
10 February: Amber Harrison tweets emails between Worner and Seven board members relating to AFP raids
13 February: Seven takes out injunction against Amber Harrison to stop release of confidential documents
15 February: Seven earnings down as Worner delivers first results since Harrison scandal revealed
15 February: Worner returns to the public eye bullish on Seven but apologetic as Stokes steps in to take media heat
21 February: Seven and Harrison head back to court as Fairfax and News ask for injunction to be dropped
21 February: Amber Harrison vowed ‘reign of terror’ over Tim Worner, but Seven wins bid to have injunction extended
22 February: Judge criticises Stokes and Kennett over Amber Harrison media attacks
7 April: Tim Worner’s decision to quit Swans board increases pressure on Seven
28 April: Seven and Amber Harrison ordered into mediation by Federal Court
7 July: Amber Harrison concedes defeat in legal fight with Seven
17 July: Amber Harrison loses battle against Seven West Media as court orders her to pay costs
Please channel 7 – for the sake of your employees now take some actions that your staff will be proud of.
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Agree with the first comment, Seven may have won the legal battle but how about doing the right thing? Though wouldn’t a more dignified CEO have already resigned? Better men and women have.
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Bully’s, a very sad day. Sets a terrible precedent. So disappointing
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I know the job of journalism is to publish things somebody doesn’t want published, but enabling somebody to arrive at a place where they are eggregiously in breach of a court order and a settlement agreed with lawyers (she obviously at some stage, consented to a settlement because otherwise, where did the $400k proffer come from?) feels to me like either a-social behaviour, or very inappropriate.
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Feels like Seven have just demonstrated that they are “sore winners”
To defend themselves by trying to take the high ground is disgusting but not entirely surprising
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Given Justice Sackar & Bruce McWilliam ( 7’s Commercial Director ) are known to each other through legal & political circles ( our own PM – Malcolm – being a common link ) I’m surprised the Judge was not required to recuse himself in this case .
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They paid her to be quite even though she had allegedly been dodgy with their credit cards.
Simple.. she loses.
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