A promising Seven News reporter who was sacked after making an alleged sexual harassment complaint has become friends with a personal assistant who had an affair with the CEO.
Amy Taeuber had been a Seven News cadet in Adelaide for a less than a year in March 2016 when she objected to a male colleague allegedly asking, in the presence of other staff, if she was a lesbian.
She was sacked several weeks later, with the Seven Network accusing her of bullying a fellow cadet, even though they are still friends.
The Seven Network denies she was sacked for making a harassment complaint, adding she was dismissed for breaching an employment contract.
Kate Taeuber (right) told The Project’s Carrie Bickmore her sacked sister Amy Taeuber had made friends with other women who fought Seven, including Amber Harrison
Her identical triplet sister Kate says Amy has become friends with Amber Harrison, who last year went public with her 18-month affair with Seven West Media chief executive Tim Worner.
She has also become friends with Talitha Cummins, a former Weekend Sunrise newsreader who was sacked last year while on maternity leave leading to a legal battle with Seven.
‘Amy’s made some great friends along the way,’ Kate Taeuber told The Project on Tuesday night.
‘The sisterhood’s been really great. Amy’s chatted with Amber Harrison and Talitha Cummins.
Amy Taueber was sacked as a Seven News cadet reporter after alleged harassment complaint
Amber Harrison, who went public about her 18-month affair with Seven West Media chief executive Tim Worner, is friends with Amy Taeuber
Amy Taeuber is also said to be friends with former Weekend Sunrise newsreader Talitha Cummins
‘It’s so great to have these amazing friendships form from a bad situation.’
Kate Taeuber told the Ten Network that Seven appeared to have a poor culture when it came to the treatment of women.
‘The record speaks for itself. The culture is very bad there. It’s not the first time something like this has happened,’ she said.
She added that her sister remained friends with Seven News cadet Peter Fegan, who the network had accused her of bullying when it dismissed her last year.
‘Amy and Peter are still great friends,’ Kate Taeuber said.
‘He was surprised his name had even been brought up in it.
Kate Taeuber says the Seven Network has a problem when it comes to the treatment of women
Amy Taeuber (left) remains friends with Seven News cadet Peter Fegan, her sister Kate says
‘Peter’s been a great friend and provided a lot of support throughout the whole situation.’
A Seven Network spokesman Simon Francis refuted the suggestion the television station was sexist towards women.
‘We are proud that we employ more than 2,500 women and the fact we treat everyone here fairly and equally,’ he told Daily Mail Australia.
‘We are also especially proud of re-establishing a cadet program which gives young Australians an exciting career and provides a foundation for the future of journalism in our country.
‘It is a program in which they will learn to interrogate any claims to establish the facts.’
In March 2016, Amy Taeuber’s other triplet sister Sophie, who worked casually as a Today Tonight producer in Adelaide, was present in the newsroom when her male colleague is alleged to have remarked on her single status.
The 27-year-old journalist, who had started as a cadet in July 2015, heard about the remarks from her colleagues.
Several weeks after making the complaint, she was dismissed by a human resources officer by telephone.
In that recording, played on the ABC’s 7.30 program, Amy Taeuber is denied the right to have another staff member present for morale support.
She was also denied the right to know the full details of new allegations levelled against her by the Seven Network.
A female human resources officer tells her she will be relieved of her duties and told to hand in her phone and security card, surprising Amy.
‘Is this actuallly for real?,’ she says in the audio she recorded on her smartphone.
‘I would like to know who has made these allegations.’
Amy Taeuber (left with sister Kate) was sacked after objecting to a male colleague’s behaviour
The Seven Network maintains Amy Taeuber was represented by lawyers and a trade union
The 7.30 program, which played that recording of her dismissal on Monday, says Seven had gone through her emails and alleged she had bullied fellow cadet Peter Fegan, who is based in Sydney.
However, the Seven Network denied the allegation Amy Taeber was unrepresented in her dismissal, pointing out she was represented by two firms of lawyers and the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance during mediation, which led to a confidentiality agreement.
‘Amy was not sacked because she made a complaint about anyone,’ he said.
‘We are surprised by the allegations six months after the signing of a mutual agreement and settlement.
‘Her complaint was fully investigated and resolved. A public apology was issued by the person who has been transferred to another newsroom.’