Former Minister Faces Scrutiny Over Claims Against Talley’s

A defamation case involving Talley’s and TVNZ reached a pivotal moment as former Minister of Workplace Relations, Michael Wood, faced intense questioning about his allegations against the food processing company. During a recent cross-examination, Talley’s King’s Counsel, Brian Dickey, challenged Wood’s claims of safety violations, asserting that they lacked sufficient documentary support.

The case revolves around a series of 1News reports aired in 2021 and 2022, which Talley’s contends were misleading and defamatory. The company argues that these reports falsely portrayed it as unsafe, while TVNZ maintains that its coverage was both fair and in the public interest.

Cross-Examination Highlights Lack of Evidence

In the Auckland High Court, Dickey pressed Wood on his assertion that Talley’s was found to have “serious deficiencies” regarding workplace safety and culture. He questioned the basis for Wood’s claims, asking, “Where can I see that?” and pointing out that the most serious allegations were not substantiated by written reports during Wood’s tenure as minister.

Wood acknowledged that while the words “serious deficiencies” were not present in the written documentation, he had received verbal briefings from WorkSafe, which he believed indicated the need for significant improvements at Talley’s. He stated, “The information I received from WorkSafe and others was that [there were] levels of harm that were not acceptable.”

Dickey, however, insisted that Wood’s claims seemed to rely heavily on union and media narratives rather than factual evidence. He probed Wood on whether he was simply “telling a story about Talley’s” influenced by his connections with the Meatworkers’ Union, which has had a contentious relationship with the company.

Wood defended his perspective, emphasizing that he had never encountered such a sustained view of health and safety problems as he had with Talley’s. His testimony included a claim that many employees were too afraid to speak out about safety concerns, contributing to a culture of fear within the organization.

Investigation and Regulatory Oversight

The cross-examination also highlighted the unusual nature of WorkSafe’s investigation into Talley’s. Wood noted that it is uncommon for the regulator to provide individual case updates to ministers, stating, “It was quite unusual that they were talking to me, full stop, about an individual case.”

Dickey challenged Wood on the number of improvement notices Talley’s had received over a three-and-a-half-year period, suggesting that 144 notifications for a company with between 6,000 and 8,000 employees may not be as alarming as presented. He pointed out that there had only been one prosecution against Talley’s during that time, suggesting that regulatory actions were carefully managed to focus on essential industries.

The case is currently in its fourth week, presided over by Justice Pheroze Jagose. It is expected to conclude next week, with upcoming testimony from former WorkSafe Chief Phil Parkes and further cross-examination of Phil O’Sullivan, the executive editor of 1News.

As the legal proceedings unfold, both Talley’s and TVNZ prepare to defend their positions, with implications for workplace safety practices and media accountability at stake.