Don Burke - another accused abuser of women

[imastawka]

For almost two decades Don Burke was one of the most powerful men in Australia's entertainment industry. His popular gardening program Burke's Backyard was a ratings juggernaut for the Nine Network until it was unceremoniously axed in 2004.

But now a major Fairfax Media/ABC investigation can reveal that behind the scenes those who worked with Burke claim he was a "psychotic bully", a "misogynist" and a "sexual predator" who indecently assaulted, sexually harassed and bullied a string of female employees.

"He was a vile, vile human being," said Bridget Ninness, a former producer on Burke's Backyard, who later launched legal action against Burke for psychological abuse. "He was lewd and he was crude" and his constant talk of sex was "designed to confront you and to demean you", she said.

Louise Langdon, a former researcher, was subjected to ongoing harassment by Burke which included trying to remove her top, and on another occasion Burke "put his foot into my rear end, with the view to checking the tone of my ... my backside". He then stated that the firmness of her "backside" wasn't "up to scratch".

"I loathed him, he was just a pig. He was lecherous and sinister," said another former researcher who alleges she was indecently assaulted by Burke.

Even David Leckie, the former chief executive of the Nine Network, said he wasn't surprised to receive our call about Burke. "I've been trying to think of Harvey Weinstein-type people [in Australia] and the only one I can ever come up with is Burke. He was a horrible, horrible man," he said.

Unlike Weinstein, Burke is not accused of rape, but the more than 50 people interviewed during this investigation have made serious allegations about Burke's actions.

"Don Burke was a disgrace because of his behaviour internally and externally," said Sam Chisholm, Leckie's predecessor at Nine.

More here -

https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/a-high-grade-twisted-abuser-don-burke-a-sexual-harasser-and...

[davidc4430]

well said

[janeababe]

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@givemeaspell wrote:
In my last workplace there was a manager who constantly berated her staff so everyone in ear shot could hear. I would cringe when I heard this and brought it up in a staff meeting ( this person was not in my dept). My manager told me he agreed and it's appalling behaviour but unless she does it to me then just ignore it. One time a staff member left at lunch time and called the HR mgr saying she would not be returning as she has been abused to the point she became very fragile. Myself and another staff member complained to HR and the wheels were in motion to address the manager. However the other workers were too scared to speak up so nothing was done, one was a single mother who needed her job. It was so sad to see their fear of this woman (yes this bully was a woman). I saw three staff members bullied to the point of resignation in 12 months. I think if they all stuck together then the manager may have been removed. It must be horrible to feel that fear in your workplace.

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Gosh this sounds familiar to me...... You didnt happen to work in Orange NSW by any chance did you?

A relative of mine and her colleagues are going through something very similiar to what you have just described. 

xxj

[givemeaspell]

Sadly happens too often Jane

[***super_nova***]

I have heard number of people who did the "dog roadtest segment" with him that he was a vile human being.  That was widely known around the show people circles.  So, I was not surprised when this came out. 

By the way, the last time I heard it was something like 160 women.............

[***super_nova***]

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@jimmy*part4 wrote:

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Why bring it up all these years later? Why bring it up at all? If it wasn't brought up at the time...too late!

Talk about fake news. You can blame the media for fanning the flames and bringing every nut job out of the woodwork. Why wasn't it news worthy at the time? You can lay the blame there. It didn't serve their interests at the time....that's why.

 

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Because back then nobody took any notice of such behavior, and if reported nothing was done.  When a man stalked me some 40 years ago, and I finally got the courage to go to the police, they laughed at me and one actually suggested I should feel complimented that somebody wants to stalk me. 

But lately we are finally starting to deal with it.  The journalist Tracy Grimshaw, I believe, posted somewhere request to tell her about experiences of women; sort of "me too follow-up", and the women who responded did not know who else responded and about whom.  She got many replies, with many men named, and Don Burke came up on the top by far.  It is unlikely that the they all made it up and for some reason all singled out Don.  Those that went straight to media, like the one about Geoffrey Rush, and refuse to be identified, is another story.  I am very skeptical about that one, it does not jell with what I know. 
But NO, it is not FAKE NEWS that men in powerful positions used to think they can get away with anything, and some still think it.

[givemeaspell]

Well said Super Nova