Australia's own Harvey Weinstein - Don Burke
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382240)
Rockingham, Australia
November 27, 2017 1:47am CST
In the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal, an Australian journalist, Tracey Spicer, put out the following Tweet: Currently, I am investigating two long-term offenders in our media industry. Please, contact me privately to tell your stories.
Instead of the couple of dozen women she thought would come forward, so far 470 have replied with their stories. One name overshadows all others – that of Don Burke. He was a big name in the TV industry and ended up at Channel Nine where, from 1987 to 2004 he hosted Burke’s Backyard, an immensely popular show that ran for 713 episodes.
When the show was axed, Burke was incensed but there were no clear reasons given for his dismissal at the time. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) says Nine’s management knew about his behaviour as far back as 1988.
I’ll put the link to the article. His behaviour towards some of these women was abominable. One former journalist interviewed Burke on a number of occasions. He would often interrupt the interview to make lewd and disgusting remarks. Finally she sent a tape of an interview to the network’s head of publicity, saying she wanted action.
Can you believe what ‘action’ was taken? The woman received a bunch of flowers the next day and that was it. Case dismissed.
To me this makes the network equally as guilty as Burke. His behaviour could have been stopped a lot sooner if his bosses had acted on the complaints they received but no, they were making too much money out of him.
Edit: I forgot to put the link. This is a later one but won't be much different to the first one I found.
Gardening guru Don Burke, who is accused of indecently assaulting and sexually harassing a number of women, claims it is a witch hunt.
24 people like this
20 responses
@allknowing (153529)
• India
27 Nov 17
These things could even happen with mutual consent to get favours and that is what one of our successful tv programme owners quipped when asked for her opinion
3 people like this

@Shiva49 (28389)
• Singapore
27 Nov 17
@allknowing Sort of quid pro quo at times but times have now changed to get even and pay with interest.
In a way tough for the men to defend themselves against the tsunami of accusations. Off with his head seems to be current rage - siva
2 people like this

@averygirl72 (38848)
• Philippines
27 Nov 17
I'm not familiar with the TV personalities all I seem to see is they ruin their image in public
2 people like this

@JudyEv (382240)
• Rockingham, Australia
27 Nov 17
For many their fame goes straight to their heads and they begin to think they can act however they like.

@JudyEv (382240)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 Nov 17
I guess it has got to the point there the women now feel that they will be believed. Perhaps they think there is safety in numbers so they don't feel they'll be fighting these injustices on their own. Several in this case told the network about their experiences but nothing was done about it - apart from a nice bunch of flowers! So it's no wonder so many have kept quiet for so long.
Did you open the link? His behaviour was quite disgusting - much more than just a grope and a tickle.
@JohnRoberts (109841)
• Los Angeles, California
27 Nov 17
This kind of behavior isn't limited to the US. It's everywhere.
3 people like this
@xFiacre (14790)
• Ireland
27 Nov 17
@judyev That bunch of flowers was perhaps as much a crime as any of Burke' s behaviour. A guy crashed (gently) into my wife's car a while back and tried blaming her till she pointed out that he had been eating a sandwich and was talking on the phone at the time. He confessed and tried to smooth things over with a very expensive bunch of flowers which went straight into the bin.
2 people like this
@vickyrose (2236)
• Cooma, Australia
29 Nov 17
What a disgusting man! Times has change and laws have changed since then and women are braver now and coming forward.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382240)
• Rockingham, Australia
29 Nov 17
At one time no-one would listen to them but it's a bit different now.
@Shiva49 (28389)
• Singapore
27 Nov 17
Some "celebrities" seem to have got away with murder but their comeuppance is thanks to Harvey Weinstein.
People had put up with nonsense and humiliation as a fait accompli but the skeletons are out of the closet; some should be having sleepless nights with "you too Brutus" ringing in their ears! siva
1 person likes this

@ilocosboy (45155)
• Philippines
27 Nov 17
that was just gross, yeah I think the station blindly played with Burke because he was a huge name at that time.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
27 Nov 17
What is wrong with these sorts of people -- not only the ones who do it, but the people in charge who let it slip by?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382240)
• Rockingham, Australia
29 Nov 17
@FayeHazel Some of the Channel 9 bosses are saying how lecherous he was - but they did nothing to rein him in.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
28 Nov 17
@JudyEv I wonder how many others are scared -- did things and are now wondering if it will come out in the daylight
1 person likes this

@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
28 Nov 17
I think there has been the attitude boys will be boys for way too long and woman are just supposed to feel flattered I guess. It is disgusting.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382240)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 Nov 17
I'm sure much more of this stuff went on than will ever be revealed but hopefully there will be less of it in future.
@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
28 Nov 17
So, the jerks are not all Americans. That is comfort, but cold comfort.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382240)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 Nov 17
They are dredging up stuff from a long time ago but I guess if you were the victim the damage wouldn't really go away until you felt that justice had been done or that you'd been properly heard.
@andriaperry (118793)
• Anniston, Alabama
28 Nov 17
Yes he should have been stopped. But it seems no one cared back then.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43611)
• Denver, Colorado
29 Nov 17
This isn't going to be over for a long time.
By the way, that duck looks like he's wearing a Trump wig. 

















The bunch of flowers is a bit unbelievable isn't it? I can't imagine anyone thinking it was it was going to help.






