Not a gender issue: Kerri-Anne Kennerley on Lisa Wilkinson

Australian TV veteran Kerri-Anne Kennerley has revealed the real reason she believes Lisa Wilkinson quit the Today show.

In the wake of the 57-year-old’s defection to The Project, reports indicated she quit because Nine network wouldn’t pay her the same as co-host Karl Stefanovic.

But speaking exclusively to Daily Mail Australia at the Cosmopolitan Women of the Year Awards on Thursday, Kerri-Anne said the fallout had ‘nothing to do with gender.’

‘I have a slightly different view. I don’t see it as a gender issue… There’s been a lot of speculation but I don’t think that anybody’s really got it right.’

The 64-year-old TV icon continued: ‘The real gender pay gap and discrimination happens at the coal-face [front-line] of women who do far more menial jobs.’

‘… the same jobs that a lot of men do and definitely don’t get the same pay.’ 

Pay parity: In the wake of the 57-year-old’s defection to The Project, reports indicated she quit because Nine network wouldn’t pay her the same as co-host Karl Stefanovic

The journalist continued to draw distinctions between a multi-million salary dispute and every-day women earning an average income.

‘It could be a five dollar an hour difference, [but] they’ve [still] got to put food on the table and a roof over their heads,’ she said. 

‘Let’s not dilute the gender pay gap discrimination issue and [dilute the importance of that issue] away from those women at the coal-face.’

The real issue: The 64-year-old TV icon continued: ‘The real gender pay gap and discrimination happens at the coal-face [front-line] of women who do far more menial jobs’

Different: The journalist continued to draw distinctions between a multi-million salary dispute and more typical digressions found in more average income positions

But with Lisa and Karl’s alleged dispute, rumoured to be in pursuit of a figure in excess of $2 million, the former Mornings host said there’s no comparison.

Making it clear that she wasn’t disparaging Lisa’s monumental stance, she added: ‘Go for it girl, if you can get it, 100 points to you…’

‘But that’s just a negotiation that didn’t work out the way you wanted. Nothing to do with gender.’

Diluted: She continued: ‘Let’s not dilute the gender pay gap discrimination issue and [dilute the importance of that issue] away from those women at the coal-face’

Nothing compares: But with Lisa and Karl’s alleged dispute, rumoured to be in pursuit of a figure in excess of $2 million, the former Mornings host said there’s no comparison

Earlier this month, Lisa Wilkinson took to Twitter, announcing that the episode of Today she’d filmed that day would be her last.

It corroborated claims made by The Daily Telegraph the day before Lisa’s announcement, which alleged a pay dispute had stalled her contract negotiations.

The report then suggested the dispute was simple: Lisa wanted the same money as Karl, 43, but he was ‘rumoured to be on twice as much.’ 

Go get it! Making it clear that she wasn’t disparaging Lisa’s monumental stance, she added: ‘Go for it girl, if you can get it, 100 points to you…’

Didn’t work out: Kerri-Anne concluded: ‘But that’s just a negotiation that didn’t work out the way you wanted. Nothing to do with gender’