Judges cry 'enough' as fired radio boss loses latest case

Lynne Snowdon with her lawyer Dr Rob Moodie. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Former Radio New Zealand news boss Lynne Snowdon has lost the latest appeal in her nearly six-year legal tussle with the state broadcaster, and the Court of Appeal is insisting "the procedural music must stop".

Ms Snowdon was sacked in April 2005 after almost two years on sick leave - and full pay of about $120,000 a year. She had fallen out with Sharon Crosbie, the then chief executive, over allegations of financial mismanagement.

After Ms Snowdon was fired, she lodged a personal grievance case in the Employment Court against RNZ for unjustified dismissal.

She began separate proceedings in March last year to have three previous Employment Court judgments set aside. They concerned discovery - the court rules relating to access to documents held by an opposing party.

Ms Snowdon claimed fraudulent discovery, arguing that RNZ had provided altered or false documents in its case against her, and that some documents had been deleted or destroyed. RNZ denied the allegations.

The Employment Court declined to set aside the judgments. Ms Snowdon appealed, arguing that judgments obtained by fraud should be setaside.

In its ruling released yesterday, the Court of Appeal dismissed Ms Snowdon's appeal and ordered her to pay costs.

Justice William Young said the allegations of fraudulent discovery were "a subset of the broader complaints" against the broadcaster.

The grievance case had been before the courts "for many years" and Ms Snowdon's appeal would have further delayed the proceedings.

"We are of the view that the time has come for the procedural music to stop," Justice Young said.

He noted that Ms Snowdon's grievance trial would not be prejudiced by dismissal of her appeal.

- NZPA