Newshub’s former political editor Tova O’Brien signed a 3 months restraint of trade clause should she leave the broadcaster for a rival. She has now done precisely that and is crying unfair and wanting this agreement she made over-ruled. Nothing hugely unusual about that sadly in this age of entitlement.
What fascinated me about this was the nonsense proffered by her lawyer Charlotte Parkhill.
Charlotte told the media “the only option for Tova (during the 3 months) is bartending.”
That was world-class cock. Tova has zillions of options. For example, she could write a history of Oban, the tiny settlement on Stewart Island. 3 months would be enough and who knows, it could be an international best-seller. She could go on the game with say a month in Auckland, then Wellington and finally Christchurch then write a learned sociological account of deviancy differences in our principle three cities. Massey would give Tova an honorary doctorate for such an effort.
Or if she really wants to be useful she could be a supermarket check-out operator, or pick fruit in Hawkes Bay. The mind boggles at the options open to her apart from bartending.
One thing is certain. Given Charlotte Parkhill’s extraordinary assertion to justify reneging on a mutually agreed contract, as I’ve long argued, the days of commanding respect for possessing a law degree are long since gone. Our universities spray them about like confetti at a wedding.
12 Comments
I laughed at the Stuffed tweet “The broadcaster says she never would have signed her contract with Discovery NZ if she thought it could sideline her for three months.” Tweet should have been “Broadcaster didn’t read her contract before signing”. She is AOC in reverse at this point. Poor wee muffin 🙂
Perhaps it should also read “Discovery NZ would never have offered her a contract if she refused to accept the restraint of trade clause”.
Couldn’t agree more Bob! You are a sensible ‘say it like it is’ voice in the Wilderness & this bloody woke World. Congrats!
If she was smart enough, she should have negotiated the restraint of trade period (loss of earnings) into her new deal.
And your not wrong about solicitors. Most you wouldnt give tuppence for the advice you receive from them. Why would their advice be any good, when most see more value for themselves in an argument at your expense.
Its what happens when university education became a business, and to have to make a feed out of something..
Solicitors/Barristers biggest game is separations, where their first question will be what assets are involved. Family court is a joke; and the solicitors know it. You have to go to higher courts, for (some) truth to be told. It often takes years, with children the biggest casualty. The courts seem to ignore it, and go figure the politicians are doing nothing about it either; yet their more affairs in parliament than anywhere!!
A friend took me the best investment you can make in life is stay married…
Worse still she hasn’t been poached due to outstanding political journalism, rather for access to the first or second questions at press briefings by her old flat mate.
The quality of emerging Lawyers is doomed to get even worse. My grandson, doing law at Auckland Uni tells me a number of his fellow first year students have not made the grade to year two, while a number of Maori, with lower marks have been given preferential treatment.
Sounds like the Medical Uni’s. Special treatment.
Please no.
Don’t want her picking fruit in Hawkes’ Bay.
I realise she would learn a thing or two about life if she worked with me but she would most likely want to be the preferred worker.So no.
Which simply endorses my view having observed lawyers for some fifty years that you don’t have to be an intellectual giant to be one.
Sounds like she is partial to more than a drop or two of the grape if that is all she knows.
Tova has lost her case and has to pay $2k as well.
Now has Leo got a job for her in Akl????
I disagree with the ungentlemanly suggestion she should go on the game.
I am a member of the world’s oldest profession – Seafaring.
On scriptural authority, Noah the master mariner has professional precedence
Hookers and lawyers came later, behind whom followed journalists as scribes and Pharisees.
The promotion would be unqualified