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Seven CEO says AFP raid was “overkill”

Sending 30 police and 8 squad cars for information already given to police was "overkill" says Seven's Tim Worner.

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AFP-RAID-SEVEN-1Tim Worner, CEO of Seven West Media, has issued a statement following a raid on Seven offices today by the Australian Federal Police:

Seven can confirm that the Australian Federal Police today executed a number of search warrants on the company. These raids came as some surprise to us, given we fully cooperated with requests made of us by the AFP last week including ongoing correspondence between the AFP and our lawyers, all of which were responded to. Our lawyers’ offices were also raided despite their co-operation.

The AFP has previously asked for information on Schapelle Corby and any contract we may have entered into, and we provided all the information requested from us and instructed our lawyers to provide any additional information they might have. The AFP did not seem to accept that we have not reached an agreement or understanding with Schapelle Corby.

We want to emphasize that at all times we have fully co-operated with the AFP in this matter. A raid on our offices at Pyrmont and at Pacific Magazines and at our lawyers’ offices involving around 30 police and eight squad cars to find information we have already provided seems like overkill to say the least. But what is most disturbing is to also seek to use search warrants to access all of our news and corporate records. This is without justification and quite possibly unprecedented for a media organization.

We see any interference in fair reporting and newsgathering as regrettable. Seven has responded fully and comprehensively to all requests for information. We have a history of that type of co-operation. We also have a history of providing and breaking news stories and reporting matters of public interest. And Seven remains committed to that.

26 Responses

  2. The Seven Network News get’s more ridiculous as time passes – not only do they clearly not understand the law, they definitely fail to understand the spirit of the law.

    To ‘pay for news’ is an abhorrent distortion of good journalistic ethics – David Koch’s comments were absolutely correct with this one.

    The ABC has succeeded in achieving the highest level of journalistic quality in Australia without delving to the depths of the ‘cash for comment’ approach so often demonstrated by the commercials.

    It is been long overdue that the media be made accountable for payments to convicted criminals for comment. Bruce McWilliam draws a fine line when he suggests that this in attack on the ‘media’ – after all, Seven was the producer of arguably the worst quality current affairs program in Australian history,’Today Tonight’ and after all it was David Koch who first…

  3. Ha! Seven should have never associated themselves with that bogan family.
    By the way, does anyone know if that Scott Miller interview on 60 Minutes was a paid one?

  4. Some of these comments here are beyond stupid

    You’ve been sucked in by the Channel 7 hyperbole machine – what did you think Ch 7 was going to say?

    “Oh yes, we broke the law and the AFP kindly entered our offices armed with lattes and chocolate, and we all sat down over a table where we happily handed over all records to them”

    Media manipulation at its best, and most of you have been sucked in

  6. I actually do agree with the word “overkill” here. Surely there are more important things to be investigating?!?! Three separate operations with multiple officers over an entire day?

  8. I be more sympathetic if there wasn’t the paying a convicted criminal thing. Which is what they are investigating. Of course there are worse examples and instances where they love to glorify or sensationalise criminality. And Seven isn’t the only one.

  10. “The AFP did not seem to accept that we have not reached an agreement or understanding with Schapelle Corby.”

    Maybe, like the rest of Australia, they didn’t believe you?

    “We see any interference in fair reporting and newsgathering as regrettable.”

    Ah, was wondering how long before the media started reporting it as an infringement of free journalism.

    Unfortunately for you, to have journalism you must first have journalists…

  11. @Pertinax – that’s not quite true. That would be a fairly obvious loophole so the law is quite extensive in its reach to try and prevent people from exactly that sort of work around.

    Even if any money paid to Corby is not transferred to an entity subject to Australian law, the court can make an order to seize and transfer other assets to the equivalent value. Also, even if any money were paid, say, to members of Corby’s family, that money (or its equivalent value) could still be seized if it was determined that Corby would benefit from it; eg rent-free accommodation paid for by said family member(s).

    In any case it’s not illegal for Seven or anyone else to give her money for whatever reason, it’s just that it may be seized.

  14. This was all about power. The Federal Govt wants to assert its authority over any organisation that does not tow the line. This includes what they have done to the ABC as well.

  15. Given that the Police can’t prove there is an interview, or even that any deal has been made. And it is isn’t illegal for Seven to pay Schapelle anyway. And even if they did pay Schapelle it would be in Bali and there is nothing the Government can to do to seize the money anyway until the assets were transferred back to Australia

    It is rather surprising that they even managed to get a warrant. Especially to raid the offices of a legal firm.

    Politicians wanting to appear to be doing something and disregarding the law and common sense because they might get lucky and make money out of it.

    Surely the police have better things to be doing, like arresting drug dealers, than spending years in the courts fighting this battle.

  16. They didn’t deserve this. Sure the Schapelle thing is wrong but the AFP overstepped the mark if you ask me for any media network in this country. I do find it funny though that they seem to keep talking about this Proceeds from Crime Act which is an Australian legislation not an Indonesian one. Has no grounds over there as far as i can tell so even if they did pay her there is nothing they can do. I still don’t agree about paying a convicted drug trafficker but it seems Seven hasn’t given her one dime yet.

  17. Why are these police so arrogant, they go places and think because of where they work have the rights to do anything they like, this is the sort of thing that gives the majority of police a bad name. Hope that these guys eventually end up with egg all over their faces.

  19. Putting Corby up in luxury accommodation and giving her security guards to prevent other media organisations from talking to her was overkill to, Tim.

    Maybe do investigative journalism without the chequebook next time?

  21. To be honest, we don’t fully understand the situation, and we may never, so I don’t think it’s fair to speculate, take sides and make unjust comments.

  22. Perhaps Seven News might now consider the impact that their actions have on others in doing their job.

    Thinking of that example where a grieving mother was being filmed without permission from a news chopper, just so Seven could have the “exclusive”

  23. it always frustrates me in movies and crime shows when police get a search warrant and take it as a licence to go on a power-crazy rampage through someone else’s house or business, leaving a huge mess for someone else, probably unpaid work placement students, to clean up. I thought the AFP were more professional than that. seems like not.

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