Aussie Royal Prank Call DJ Mel Greig Sues Radio Network For Unsafe Working Environment
Mel Greig, one of the two infamous DJs linked to the suicide of a British nurse, is suing her employer. The Australian radio host has filed a suit against Southern Cross Austereo with Fair Work Australia for allegedly providing unsafe working environment.
“I can confirm that a general protections application has been filed with Fair Work Australia on behalf of Mel Greig against Southern Cross Austereo,” Steven Lewis of Slater & Gordon, her lawyer, told Fairfax Media.
The application alleges that Greig’s employer failed to maintain a safe workplace in relation to the controversial royal prank call incident that had gotten Greig’s show, Hot30 Countdown, cancelled in December. However, it didn’t specify how the radio network failed to make its working environment safe.
“The matter will proceed to confidential conciliation under the Fair Work Act,” Mr Lewis continued.
The DJ is still employed by Austereo, but has not yet reported to the station since their Hot30 Countdown show was cancelled in December 2012. She will not be making any further statement, according to her lawyer.
If both parties fail to settle the matter in conciliation, the case will head to court.
Ms Greig and her co-host Michael Christian hit the headlines in December 2012 after they made a prank call to the King Edward VII Hospital in London where Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, was staying for severe morning sickness.
Greig tricked nurse Jacintha Saldanha into believing she was Queen Elizabeth so the nurse would transfer her call to Kate’s private nurse, who also thought she was the Queen and therefore gave her the Duchess’ medical details.
The DJs were already criticised for their offensive practical joke, but they were even panned when Saldanha took her own life following the incident. She blamed the two radio hosts for her suicide.
Greig was effectively put off the air since, though Christian resumed his radio presenting duties in February.
He was even awarded the Next Top Jock award by Austereo in June, much to the dismay and outrage of Australians and British, who call the accolade in “bad taste.”
Listen to their prank call here: