Claims of sexual misconduct at TVNZ

A TVNZ staffer had to resign after exposing himself at the company’s 2018 Christmas party.

A TVNZ spokesperson has confirmed the man was immediately stood down from his duties, and said the company acted before anyone made a formal complaint, calling the incident ‘‘completely out of line’’.

Stuff understands the staff member was offered the choice to resign or be sacked after an internal investigation.

TVNZ would not name the man but said he was not an on-air personality or a member of the broadcast company’s management team.

A spokeswoman said: ‘‘We determined there was a breach of our code of conduct and we acted – that person’s gone from TVNZ as a result. From start to finish, this matter was addressed within two weeks.’’

The revelation comes after a second former staff member came forward on Wednesday with allegations of historical sexual harassment by a TVNZ manager. The former staffer approached

Stuff’s #metooNZ team two days after former communications manager Andi Brotherston went public on social media, claiming harassment by a news and current affairs manager in 2010.

Brotherston said the manager followed her into the toilets after drinking heavily at lunch, pinned her against the wall and tried to grope and kiss her, claiming he had ‘‘booked a motel room across the road’’. She said she shook him off and fled.

Brotherston, who did not wish to make further comment when contacted this week, said on Twitter she went public with the claim ‘‘because this still happens every day’’. She said she complained to the head of TVNZ human resources at the time, who laughed and told her no-one would believe her.

In response to Brotherston’s claims, TVNZ chief executive Kevin Kenrick invited others to come forward.

Kenrick said the company wanted to hear from anyone who had experienced similar incidents.

‘‘We think that there is an opportunity to learn from that and where appropriate to apologise for behaviour that was unacceptable,’’ he said.

The second former staffer was employed in TVNZ’s production unit in the 1990s and early 2000s.

She said she was the subject of extended harassment from a senior manager, which included unwanted sexualised touching.

The woman was in her early

20s at the time, and said the manager would have been aged over

40. She described the behaviour as ‘‘cunning’’, and said it happened in the office, and in front of other workers. She told

Stuff she had seen the same manager touch ‘‘at least three other women’’ in similar ways.

‘‘He would make it look like a friendly hug, but his hands would in places they shouldn’t be’’.

The woman, who Stuff has agreed not to name, said the behaviour was an open secret at TVNZ and the man was given the nickname ‘‘Grubby’’ by staff.

She said she complained to TVNZ human resources and was supported by other women who had seen the behaviour but was asked whether ‘‘it was really that bad’’ and whether she was sure she wanted to make an official complaint. She later heard the man had completed a course and had apologised to another young staffer.

In response, a TVNZ spokesperson said the company would be ‘‘searching its archives’’ for details of the complaint.

The spokesperson said two more people had shared ‘‘disturbing stories of their personal experiences working at TVNZ in the late 1990s’’.

Asked why she chose to speak out this week, the former staffer said ‘‘it hurts, but it’s better than silence’’.

TVNZ added: ‘‘We’re committed to learning the lessons from our past and providing a safe and respectful working environment for everyone at TVNZ today.’’

‘‘This still happens every day.’’

Andi Brotherston