Legal proceedings between gambling giant Tabcorp and its former boss, Adam Rytenskild, have been put on hold, in the clearest sign that both sides are looking to settle the bitter legal battle over his sacking.
A Federal Court hearing was scheduled for Tuesday, September 9, to determine what documents would need to be handed over to each side as part of the discovery process. It did not take place.
Adam Rytenskild has denied the allegation that led to his forced removal from Tabcorp last year. Credit: Rhett Wyman
This process, if it goes ahead, is expected to reveal sensitive communications between a who’s who of the sporting and media industry over their knowledge of events leading up to Rytenskild’s removal. The documents were due to be exchanged on Friday, September 12.
The names in the documents include Racing NSW boss and NRL chairman Peter V’Landys, former AFL boss and current Tabcorp chief executive Gillon McLachlan, and Tabcorp directors David Gallop – the former NRL and soccer boss – as well as controversial former ABC chairman Justin Milne.
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Sources close to the proceedings, who are not authorised to comment while sensitive negotiations take place, told this masthead that a resolution could be reached as early as this week.
Tabcorp and Rytenskild’s lawyers from Giles George declined to comment on Friday.
Rytenskild denies the allegation central to his sacking – that he suggested to senior Tabcorp executives that he would be willing to perform a sex act on a female regulator to secure a gambling licence.
“I denied it in three ways. I said I didn’t say it. I said I don’t recall it … and I said I don’t use language like that, so why would I have suddenly chosen to,” Rytenskild told a hearing of the Fair Work Commission last year, when Tabcorp attempted to have his wrongful dismissal claim dismissed.
