A senior Sunrise producer has launched Federal Court action accusing the Seven Network of sidelining him and breaching workplace and disability laws after a serious wheelchair accident, while Seven is mounting a robust defence alleging aggressive, misogynistic behaviour and denying any unlawful motive
A senior Sunrise producer has launched Federal Court action against the Seven Network, alleging the broadcaster unlawfully sidelined him and discriminated against him because of his disability and his attempt to claim workers compensation.
In a statement of claim filed in the Federal Court of Australia’s New South Wales registry, Matthew McGrane accuses Seven Network of breaching the Fair Work Act 2009 and discriminating against him on the basis of physical disability.
McGrane has worked for Seven since 2002 in senior production roles, including executive producer of several news programs. Since late 2022, he has been supervising producer for Sunrise.
The claim says that in mid‑2023, Sunrise moved from Martin Place to Seven’s Eveleigh studios. Because he relies on wheelchair‑accessible buses and late‑night services from Eveleigh were limited, McGrane says he agreed with then Sunrise executive producer Sean Power that he would leave the office early to catch a bus home and finish his shifts working from home.
On 17 October 2023, while travelling from the Eveleigh office to his bus stop under that arrangement, McGrane allegedly struck an uneven section of footpath, fell from his wheelchair and suffered serious injuries, including a detached triceps and a fractured ulna in his right arm.
He was taken by ambulance to St Vincent’s Hospital and remained there until 1 November 2023, undergoing surgery.
McGrane lodged a workers compensation claim under NSW law later that month. On 1 November 2023, Seven’s workers compensation insurer GIO rejected the claim, allegedly stating the injury did not arise out of or in the course of employment and that there was no formal split‑shift agreement. The statement of claim disputes this, insisting the injury occurred in the course of his employment and that an agreement with Power was in place.
The document says McGrane then complained internally about the rejection and the information Seven had given the insurer, including to Sunrise director Sarah Stinson, people and culture manager Shellee Morgan, wellness manager Yamantha Naidoo, and head of HR Lucinda Gemmel. He also told the company he would appeal the insurer’s decision.
While on extended personal leave, McGrane says he was told processes had been “streamlined” in his absence and that producer Jake Lyle had picked up extra work. In early 2024, Stinson allegedly suggested he return to work in the newsroom rather than on Sunrise, which he interpreted as reluctance to have him back on the show.
According to the claim, when McGrane returned to work from home on 15 April 2024 under a medical certificate, his role was significantly reduced. Stinson allegedly:
- Directed him not to speak to other staff and to communicate only with her by email.
- Told him there was “no supervisory role” because she had restructured the team.
- Limited his duties mainly to sending daily story ideas, doing research and writing to be passed to other producers, and helping with Weekend Sunrise rundowns.
The statement of claim says he no longer performed core elements of his pre‑injury supervising producer role, such as assigning tasks, briefing hosts, overseeing edits and live shoots, and directing production staff.
McGrane further alleges he was removed from Microsoft Teams from January 2024 and dropped from a senior Sunrise email distribution list, leaving him excluded from key internal communications.
During his absence and after his return, Seven is said to have promoted Laura Francis to senior supervising producer and later Lyle to executive producer of Sunrise. McGrane claims he had the experience to do that job but was not considered or approached, and that being overlooked left him distressed and humiliated.
The statement of claim argues that the reduction of his responsibilities, his effective isolation from colleagues and the failure to consider him for promotion amounted to “adverse action” under the Fair Work Act. It alleges Seven took this action because he:
- Took personal leave
- Lodged and pursued a workers compensation claim
- Made internal complaints
- Has a physical disability
McGrane is seeking remedies set out in his originating application, likely including compensation and penalties. The statement of claim has been signed and certified by his lawyer, Josh Bornstein of Maurice Blackburn, who states there is a proper basis for each allegation.
Seven mounts robust defence to McGrane claims
The network responded to the proceedings with full intent to defend its position, claiming McGrane partook in inappropriate behaviour during his time at Seven.
Seven alleged there was substantial negative feedback about McGrane’s conduct, particularly towards women. Female employees, including junior women he supervised, reported that he frequently behaved aggressively by swearing, shouting and loudly dismissing colleagues’ ideas.
They say he belittled staff when they made mistakes, was routinely rude and disrespectful, ignored others’ workloads, and made unnecessary changes to schedules and scripts without any editorial justification.
Seven further alleges that he made inappropriate comments about the physical appearance of female presenters while watching them on television, including statements to the effect of “you look fat, that’s disgusting” and suggestions that they should “wear a more low-cut top.”
Seven also relies on a series of emails it characterises as aggressive, inappropriate and misogynistic, which it says demonstrate misogynistic correspondence and objectionable behaviour towards women. These emails from 2023 include highly offensive and derogatory language.
According to Seven, female staff, including junior employees he supervised, told Stinson that they felt unsafe because of his behaviour and were extremely concerned about the prospect of him returning to work.
Seven also says it received further negative feedback about his performance after his return to work on 15 April 2024, which it relies on as ongoing evidence that he was not performing his role to the required standard.
Seven denies it acted against McGrane for any prohibited or unlawful reason, and maintains that its decisions were based solely on performance, conduct and behavioural concerns set out in its defence.
