Mark Mcinnes

Room 22B of the Federal Court of NSW grew pretty crowded as Kristy Fraser-Kirk’s $37 million sexual harassment lawsuit against David Jones, its directors and ex-CEO Mark McInnes came to a head. 

But if you went to the public gallery expecting to see any of the high-profile players you’d be sorely disappointed.

While the case itself had enough salacious and emotive elements to see it dramatically splashed across print, TV and online as a top-rating story, the scene in court was one carefully cloaked in the cool, passive-aggressive language of the legal profession. 

Continue reading "Kristy taught us something, we’re just not sure what yet" »

Kristy Fraser-Kirk, the young woman who launched a $37 million law suit against David Jones and its former CEO Mark McInnes, is feeling the strain.

Yesterday her barrister Rachel Francois told the Federal Court Fraser-Kirk has developed an adjustment disorder and the “media intrusion” into her life since news of her case broke was partly to blame.

The point was raised during arguments over whether the names of potential witnesses in the mega sexual-harassment case should be made public, with Fraser-Kirk’s team saying it wanted to protect other women from suffering the same intrusions as the former DJ’s marketing staffer.

Continue reading "Fraser-Kirk’s confronting a monster of her own creation" »

This is not a facetious question. Boards all over Australia, those same boards whose population includes just 9 per cent women, will be looking without envy at David Jones this morning after publicist Kristy Fraser-Kirk announced she was suing the company for $37 million.

Fraser-Kirk was the young woman who’s complaint of sexual harassment against then-CEO Mark McInnes prompted his sacking in May.

A lot of people in the corporate world would be thinking this morning “they sacked him, what more does she want?”

Continue reading "What should the DJs board have done instead?" »

David Jones is reeling this morning after Chief Executive Mark McInnes quit after a 25-year-old female employee made a complaint about his conduct at a company function.

The Board is currently conducting a long, and amazingly frank, press conference, where Chairman Bob Savage has addressed the issue of what impact the scandal might have on the venerable David Jones brand.

Mr Savage says the David Jones name has been around since 1838 and its retail reputation was unlikely to be shaken. Would a harrassment scandal like this make you less likely to shop at the department store chain?