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TVNZ is under fire after admitting yesterday four of its most senior managers have known for seven months about an incident involving Tony Veitch and his former partner - but kept quiet.
TVNZ chief executive Rick Ellis, who only became aware of the alleged assault when it surfaced in the media last week, was in damage control yesterday, issuing a statement to defend his managers.
The ramifications of the incident - in which Veitch allegedly kicked and broke ex-partner Kristin Dunne-Powell's back in four places in January 2006 - have now extended far beyond the future of the sports newsreader, with one commentator calling for a high-level independent inquiry into TVNZ.
Veitch's radio bosses also admitted yesterday they had known about the incident since October last year.
The companies' statements raise questions about whether the organisations will be able to sack Veitch, because they took no action when he first alerted them to the matter.
Police have launched an investigation into the assault claims, while Herald on Sunday inquiries have uncovered new details about what happened in the two years following the incident.
Sources say Dunne-Powell's lawyers asked for compensation around October 2007, 21 months after the assault took place. Veitch eventually paid her up to $170,000, according to reports last week.
In an exclusive interview with Paul Holmes today, Veitch elaborates on his shame and remorse, the uncertainty of his future, and his state of mind before and after the incident. He also confirms he saw Dunne-Powell several times after the incident.
Police are believed to have spoken to Dunne-Powell on Friday but it is understood she has not laid a formal complaint.
Legal experts told the Herald on Sunday that Veitch's admission earlier in the week that he had "lashed out" was probably sufficient grounds for police to lay charges, with the only real debate being how severe those charges would be.
Ellis confirmed yesterday that four of his senior executives were told last December about an incident.
Former TVNZ head of current affairs Bill Ralston yesterday said it was incomprehensible that the four - head of television Jeff Latch, head of corporate affairs Peter Parussini, head of news and current affairs Anthony Flannery and a senior company lawyer - did not relay this information to Ellis.
"I find it unbelievable that none of these senior managers, all of whom report to Ellis, did not say anything," Ralston said.
He called on the TVNZ board to launch an independent inquiry, saying the fact that senior staff did not report such serious allegations to Ellis indicated the executive was dysfunctional.
However, TVNZ spokeswoman Megan Richards said the reason that didn't happen was because the issue was initially regarded "as a civil matter that had been settled privately between the parties involved and therefore there was no need to take it higher".
Employment law specialists said the fact TVNZ and The Radio Network did not take disciplinary action against Veitch promptly could create issues further down the track if they tried to sack him.
Ellis yesterday gave his backing to his senior executives, saying while the matter had been a shock to the company and staff he believed they had handled the matter appropriately at the time.
He said when Veitch first raised the matter with TVNZ in December last year it was on the basis he was seeking "advice on a personal matter to do with his former partner".
Following their discussions with Veitch it was agreed the matter was a "private issue of a civil nature".
Ellis said TVNZ then offered to put Veitch in touch with a counsellor and a lawyer who would act for him at his own expense. At no time, Ellis insisted, did TVNZ advise Veitch to give his former partner any money.
"Some time after that meeting Tony verbally advised TVNZ the issues with his former partner had been resolved in a confidential manner that included a financial settlement."
Ellis stressed that at no time during that December meeting with Latch, Flannery and Parussini did Veitch describe the incident involving Dunne-Powell in the terms that it had been described in this week. This week's allegations included her being repeatedly kicked, sustaining four cracked vertebrae and being confined to a wheelchair.
"There was at the time of the meeting no basis for it to be considered an employment matter, based on the information Tony had shared with my managers," Ellis said.
He said there were still "serious questions" to be answered about the incident, but added it wasn't TVNZ's role to "manage any potential police or judicial process".
TVNZ, he said, would continue to work with Veitch and his legal representatives to deal with "the future of his role in the company and that would be announced in due course".
Neither Flannery nor Latch could be reached for comment last night. Parussini had earlier declined to comment, saying the company was in the middle of a review that involved Veitch.
Radio Network talk programming general manager Bill Francis confirmed he and another staff member were told of the "fracas" shortly after Veitch returned from the Rugby World Cup last year.
Veitch had confided in them that he had sought legal advice and had made reference to a compensation payment, Francis said.
"Clearly a lot more has come to light about the whole matter this past week.
"In hindsight, if I had known more details at the time, I may have taken a different approach. That is one of those calls one makes in life."
Dunne-Powell did not return messages yesterday.
