Rebel Sport boss threatens lawyer: ‘Whistleblowers never fare well'
Documents filed with the Federal Court have detailed explosive allegations of an affair between Super Retail boss Anthony Heraghty and its then HR chief Jane Kelly, which triggered a multimillion-dollar legal battle and corporate turmoil implicating the group's board.
In the statement of claim filed this week by Amelia Berczelly – one of two former lawyers for the retailer who allege their careers were derailed by the fallout from the affair - it is alleged that Heraghty threatened her and her colleague, Rebecca Farrell, during a mediation session in April last year.
'Heraghty had threatened the applicant and Farrell at the mediation through their solicitors, including by stating words to the effect: 'whistleblowers never fare well',' the document stated.
Farrell, the former chief legal officer, is the other applicant taking legal action against the $3 billion retailer, its former chair Sally Pitkin, and Heraghty.
Both Berczelly and Farrell are pursuing a settlement against Super Retail in the Federal Court, claiming that the alleged affair, conducted while both Heraghty and Kelly worked for the company, led to workplace bullying and breaches of the Corporations Act.
Farrell's updated statement of claim alleges that Heraghty and Kelly were seen late at night at the latter's five-star Brisbane hotel, The Calile, in June 2023 by Berczelly and another company employee.
'Heraghty and Kelly had acted in a manner that was very suspicious and suggestive that they were engaged in an intimate or personal relationship that had not been disclosed to the board,' the document said.
The document also alleges that Heraghty's executive assistant (EA) told a whistleblower at the group that Heraghty's wife had accessed his mobile in March 2023 and discovered an affair had been ongoing with Kelly for around three years.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sydney Morning Herald
2 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Australia-EU trade talks back on amid scramble over Trump tariffs
Salzburg: Australian trade officials will be dispatched to Brussels within days to revive stalled free trade negotiations with the European Union, as escalating global trade tensions – sparked by Donald Trump's return to economic nationalism – inject fresh urgency into finalising the long-delayed pact. Trade Minister Don Farrell confirmed the breakthrough following an hour-long meeting in Paris on Wednesday with EU Trade Commissioner Maros Šefcovic, where both sides agreed to restart formal discussions. 'We've both agreed now that we're going to restart negotiations,' Farrell told this masthead. 'That'll be kicked off in the next day or two, when we send our officials to Brussels [to] see if we can scope out what are the outstanding issues.' The renewed momentum comes as Trump's steep tariff hikes on imports to the US trigger a global scramble among its allies to lock in new or more resilient trade partnerships. The US president has doubled tariffs on steel and aluminium from 25 to 50 per cent, while slapping a blanket 10 per cent tariff on all other imports from Australia. Farrell, who is attending the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting, also met with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on the sidelines in Paris to express Australia's 'firm objections' to the new tariffs. Loading 'We've made clear our position to the United States,' he said. 'This is a critical time for stable, rules-based trade.' Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is also set to raise concerns about the tariffs directly with Trump when the two leaders meet for the first time on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada in about 10 days. The EU-Australia agreement has been stalled since late 2023, largely due to deadlock over agricultural market access, particularly Australian beef and lamb exports.
The Age
2 hours ago
- The Age
Australia-EU trade talks back on amid scramble over Trump tariffs
Salzburg: Australian trade officials will be dispatched to Brussels within days to revive stalled free trade negotiations with the European Union, as escalating global trade tensions – sparked by Donald Trump's return to economic nationalism – inject fresh urgency into finalising the long-delayed pact. Trade Minister Don Farrell confirmed the breakthrough following an hour-long meeting in Paris on Wednesday with EU Trade Commissioner Maros Šefcovic, where both sides agreed to restart formal discussions. 'We've both agreed now that we're going to restart negotiations,' Farrell told this masthead. 'That'll be kicked off in the next day or two, when we send our officials to Brussels [to] see if we can scope out what are the outstanding issues.' The renewed momentum comes as Trump's steep tariff hikes on imports to the US trigger a global scramble among its allies to lock in new or more resilient trade partnerships. The US president has doubled tariffs on steel and aluminium from 25 to 50 per cent, while slapping a blanket 10 per cent tariff on all other imports from Australia. Farrell, who is attending the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting, also met with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on the sidelines in Paris to express Australia's 'firm objections' to the new tariffs. Loading 'We've made clear our position to the United States,' he said. 'This is a critical time for stable, rules-based trade.' Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is also set to raise concerns about the tariffs directly with Trump when the two leaders meet for the first time on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada in about 10 days. The EU-Australia agreement has been stalled since late 2023, largely due to deadlock over agricultural market access, particularly Australian beef and lamb exports.
The Advertiser
9 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Australia-EU 'determined' to seal trade deal: minister
Australia and the European Union have revived talks for a sweeping free trade agreement after Trade Minister Don Farrell met with the European Commissioner for Trade Maroš Šefčovič in Paris. The meeting on the sidelines of the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting comes amid a Wednesday deadline by the United States for countries to send their best offer in trade negotiations. Farrell met the US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Paris on Tuesday, after Australia criticised US President Donald Trump's move to double steel tariffs to 50 per cent from 25 per cent and called for the removal of a 10 per cent tariff on all its exports. "Both Australia and the EU recognise that now is the time to strengthen our economic partnership, and we're working through the remaining issues to try and finalise the deal," Farrell told Reuters in a statement. A pact with the region was "about building economic resilience in a rapidly changing global environment," he said. Agriculture topped a list of outstanding issues for an EU deal that officials will work on, although Australian officials could not say when the pact would be agreed. Australia has previously offered to put the removal of its luxury car tax on the table but wants greater access for lamb and beef exports to Europe. The advantages of an EU deal include increased investment, stronger supply chain links, education ties and export opportunities, Farrell said. Australia and the European Union have revived talks for a sweeping free trade agreement after Trade Minister Don Farrell met with the European Commissioner for Trade Maroš Šefčovič in Paris. The meeting on the sidelines of the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting comes amid a Wednesday deadline by the United States for countries to send their best offer in trade negotiations. Farrell met the US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Paris on Tuesday, after Australia criticised US President Donald Trump's move to double steel tariffs to 50 per cent from 25 per cent and called for the removal of a 10 per cent tariff on all its exports. "Both Australia and the EU recognise that now is the time to strengthen our economic partnership, and we're working through the remaining issues to try and finalise the deal," Farrell told Reuters in a statement. A pact with the region was "about building economic resilience in a rapidly changing global environment," he said. Agriculture topped a list of outstanding issues for an EU deal that officials will work on, although Australian officials could not say when the pact would be agreed. Australia has previously offered to put the removal of its luxury car tax on the table but wants greater access for lamb and beef exports to Europe. The advantages of an EU deal include increased investment, stronger supply chain links, education ties and export opportunities, Farrell said. Australia and the European Union have revived talks for a sweeping free trade agreement after Trade Minister Don Farrell met with the European Commissioner for Trade Maroš Šefčovič in Paris. The meeting on the sidelines of the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting comes amid a Wednesday deadline by the United States for countries to send their best offer in trade negotiations. Farrell met the US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Paris on Tuesday, after Australia criticised US President Donald Trump's move to double steel tariffs to 50 per cent from 25 per cent and called for the removal of a 10 per cent tariff on all its exports. "Both Australia and the EU recognise that now is the time to strengthen our economic partnership, and we're working through the remaining issues to try and finalise the deal," Farrell told Reuters in a statement. A pact with the region was "about building economic resilience in a rapidly changing global environment," he said. Agriculture topped a list of outstanding issues for an EU deal that officials will work on, although Australian officials could not say when the pact would be agreed. Australia has previously offered to put the removal of its luxury car tax on the table but wants greater access for lamb and beef exports to Europe. The advantages of an EU deal include increased investment, stronger supply chain links, education ties and export opportunities, Farrell said. Australia and the European Union have revived talks for a sweeping free trade agreement after Trade Minister Don Farrell met with the European Commissioner for Trade Maroš Šefčovič in Paris. The meeting on the sidelines of the OECD Ministerial Council Meeting comes amid a Wednesday deadline by the United States for countries to send their best offer in trade negotiations. Farrell met the US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Paris on Tuesday, after Australia criticised US President Donald Trump's move to double steel tariffs to 50 per cent from 25 per cent and called for the removal of a 10 per cent tariff on all its exports. "Both Australia and the EU recognise that now is the time to strengthen our economic partnership, and we're working through the remaining issues to try and finalise the deal," Farrell told Reuters in a statement. A pact with the region was "about building economic resilience in a rapidly changing global environment," he said. Agriculture topped a list of outstanding issues for an EU deal that officials will work on, although Australian officials could not say when the pact would be agreed. Australia has previously offered to put the removal of its luxury car tax on the table but wants greater access for lamb and beef exports to Europe. The advantages of an EU deal include increased investment, stronger supply chain links, education ties and export opportunities, Farrell said.
