SBS and Scott McIntyre announce confidential settlement over ANZAC Day tweet sacking
Multicultural broadcaster SBS has reached a confidential settlement with its former sports reporter Scott McIntyre after he launched legal action against the broadcaster claiming it did “not follow due process” when it fired him.
The case was due back in court today with the sports reporter contesting the sacking, claiming SBS over-stepped its powers by axing the journalist “without a proper investigation” and that he was entitled to air his political opinion without risk of losing his job.
McIntyre was fired after he sent a series of Anzac Day tweets which management described as “inappropriate and disrespectful” towards ANZAC troops, with SBS managing director, Michael Ebeid, saying McIntyre had compromised the “integrity of the network and audience trust”.
Today McIntyre’s lawyer, Josh Bornstein, fired back tweeting: “I dedicate the settlement of Scott McIntyre’s court case to the vigilantes & hypocrites who got him sacked”
Asked what he meant by the phrase “vigilantes & hypocrites” Bornstein accused former Communications Minister and now Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, News Corp columnist Chris Kenny and former Human Rights Commissioner Tim Wilson of seeking to “crush” free speech.
“The vigilantes & hypocrites who sought to have Scott sacked and his freedom of speech suppressed after the event included (then Communications Minister) Malcolm Turnbull, (News Corp columnist) Chris Kenny and (Australia’s Human Rights Commissioner) Tim Wilson,” said Bornstein.
“These are people who speak loftily about freedom of speech and when it is inconvenient to them ditch it and try and crush someone whose views they disagree with. They should be ashamed of themselves.”
Scott McIntyre has now settled his court case.
McIntyre’s tweets on ANZAC Day were seen by some as disrespectful and included one which read: “Remembering the summary execution, widespread rape and theft committed by those ‘brave’ Anzacs in Egypt, Palestine and Japan”.
In a joint statement from both parties the two sides confirmed they had settled the dispute.
“SBS and Mr McIntyre have now resolved their dispute over the termination of his employment on 26 April 2015,” said the statement.
“SBS acknowledges that Mr McIntyre was a well-respected sports reporter with SBS for a period spanning over a decade, and SBS is disappointed that it was unable to continue with his services following his Tweets.
“Mr McIntyre acknowledges that the views expressed in his Tweets on 25 April, 2015, were his views and that they were contentious. Mr McIntyre regrets any attribution of his views to SBS and acknowledges that SBS was drawn into controversy following the expression of his views.”
Neither side commented on whether there was a financial settlement. McIntyre has yet to find new employment since losing his job at SBS.
Nic Christensen
Don’t question the ANZAC myth, Scott.
We have to believe they were all larrikin heroes fighting the good fight with honour. That’s the rule in this country.
Heaven forbid anyone read a genuine history book.
Some were heroes.
Some were villains.
And most were bloody terrified young men sent to Hell doing anything they could to survive.
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What a vapid argument.
The thing with free speech is that people are also entitled to criticize it.
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Never change your opinions. I was one of many repulsed by the Centenary of anzac celebrations and the glorification of war that involved. Every year I have to endure this saccharin, over the top sentimentality and the attempts to legitimise the anzac myth. It is vomitous and I just wish we would scrap this bastard holiday and all it entails for good.
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Hi Nic, any word on what McIntyre is up to now? Always found him a solid journo.
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Hi M,
My understanding is that at present he has not found work.
Cheers
Nic – Mumbrella
The argument wasn’t that he was being criticised, it was that he was sacked for exercising the same free speech that others champion when it suits them.
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A shocking decision by SBS to begin with – absolutely immoral and unjustified on every single level. Scott was one of their very best journalists and right now he’s an huge loss to the field. Now this is over I hope someone moves to sign him up soon.
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Going against the flow here. Scott should have known better, should have exercised better judgement.
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SBS says McIntyre was not sacked because of the views he expressed about the Anzacs.
If not, why not?
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Jack, he chose his timing in a manner more akin to a reddit troll, but the point stands: He made a legitimate point (albeit poorly worded) about the pedestal ANZAC troops and the ww1 campaign have been placed upon.
Not a sackable offence, and only sacked because power players saw a political point to be scored.
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What a shame.
I was really hoping this would be aired in court and we would get a solid precedent that (a) established that your employment cannot be terminated for posting political opinions publicly, and (b) everything Scott McIntyre posted was factually/historically accurate (except the tweet “Wonder if the poorly-read, largely white, nationalist drinkers and gamblers pause today to consider the horror that all mankind suffered.” – which is an opinion).
As a society, we are all the worse without a ruling on these.
If we were grasping at lessons learned, it would be: include a disclaimer that these are your views, not the views of your employer, especially if you are a public figure.
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With a great uncle at Gallipoli, an uncle at Western Front a grandfather at Bullecourt, dad’s brother at Tobruk and New Guinea, and Dad in Changi and with the 8th division on the Death Railway, ANZAC Day was part of my childhood.
I loathe and am nauseated by the commercialisation, the puerile nonsense that is bleated about ANZAC Day in the media now. The Centenary “celebrations” I found so repulsive that for the first time in close to 20 years I could not bring myself to participate in the Sydney march. For many years I have worn a chest full of dead men’s medals, to honour them, and appreciate and try and understand what they experienced, and how their war years left them broken and wounded.
But I cannot in all conscious participate now, cause I KNOW these men and I KNOW they themselves would be infuriated and sickened by the idiotic commentary that prevails.
I admire and support Macintyre. SBS and Turnbull were totally wrong in having this man sacked.
The irony just makes me wince. ANZAC day – and the sickening narrative that is now inflicted on us includes the trope that “they fought for our freedom”. But when someone like Macintyre exercises that very freedom – he’s sacked and silenced.
I too would wanted his comments to be tested against historic truths.
But of course ANZAC is now a “legend”, a fairy tale, and those that profit from it don’t want the narrative scarred by ugly truths.
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*consciience
Can’t in all *conscience* participate in the charade that is now ANZAC day
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