Warren Tredrea, known for his career in AFL and as a sports presenter on Nine News Adelaide, recently found himself embroiled in legal action against Channel Nine in South Australia. His lawsuit alleged that Nine unjustly terminated his contract in January 2022 due to his refusal to adhere to COVID-19 vaccination requirements. Despite Tredrea's claims, the court ruled against him in March, rejecting his plea for almost $6 million in lost wages.
Federal Court Justice Geoffrey Kennett presided over the case and delivered a judgement on the issue of costs, determining that Tredrea will need to finance his own legal fees while Nine will cover their defense expenses. The court acknowledged Channel Nine's attempts to settle the dispute through offers made to Tredrea, but ultimately found that his rejection of these offers was not considered obstinate or unreasonable.
During the legal proceedings, it came to light that Nine's decision to terminate Tredrea was not solely based on his vaccination stance but also on his performance in the role. Testimonies during the case indicated that other factors, such as detrimental comments made by Tredrea regarding the COVID-19 vaccine on a local radio station, contributed to the decision to end his contract. Despite Tredrea seeking substantial damages initially, subsequent negotiations saw him willing to settle for a significantly lower amount, an offer that Nine declined, leading to the ongoing legal battle.