Nine of ten identified on-air redundancies at Seven are women

Southern Cross Media, owner of the Seven television network, announced between 250 and 300 job cuts last week after market conditions deteriorated faster than expected. Nine women and one man have been publicly identified among the on-air redundancies in the Sydney and Melbourne newsrooms.

The women include Sydney-based reporters Brianna Jackson, Amy Clements and Phoebe Worthley, Melbourne-based reporter Rochelle Brown, and national noon news presenter Natarsha Belling.

Redundancies and staff statements Reporters Estelle Griepink, Grace Fitzgibbon and Inga Neilsen accepted voluntary redundancies. Griepink is on maternity leave. Veteran journalist Chris Maher is the only male reporter identified among the cuts. Seven Melbourne presenter Bethan Yeoman posted on Instagram that being made redundant on maternity leave was unexpected.

Griepink wrote that she leaves with stories to last a lifetime and is excited about the new chapter.

Company statements and legal context A Southern Cross spokesperson declined to comment on the gender breakdown of the redundancies and referred to the company’s ASX announcement. In a message to staff, chief executive Rohan Lund said the decisions had not been made lightly.

Some staff described the process as chaotic, with many journalists informed by phone hours after the cuts were reported. Worthley posted a TikTok video of herself crying in a car. Employment lawyer Penny Parker said employers sometimes view staff on parental leave as out of sight and out of mind.

The Fair Work Act prohibits termination because of parental leave, though proving the motive is difficult in practice.