The latest court documents filed with the Federal Court, obtained by radioinfo, reveal more of the complexity in the Kyle and Jackie O court cases against ARN.
Jackie’s statement of claim outlines a series of complaints to ARN management on the day of the on air altercation with Kyle, 20th February, and also on various occasions before that where she asked for help from management.
Jackie’s document says that ARN (parent company of CBC, the KIIS licensee) did not “attempt to intervene” or stop Sandilands during the on air argument on 20th February.
Jackie’s statement of claim says that she sent a text message on 21st February to ARN’s Michael Stephenson and Kerri Elstub, describing her co-host’s behaviour as “unfair, inappropriate and completely unprovoked.” She claims she also asked ARN whether anything had been put in place “around boundaries and expectations moving forward.”
The documents also outline earlier discussions where Jackie raised the issue of an unsafe workplace with the company, saying she was entitled to a workplace where bullying and psychosocial safety risks were “assessed, controlled… or minimized.”
Jackie’s claim says that she had received complaints from listeners about the “abusive relationship” taking place between she and Kyle. She cites conversations going back to 20th August last year that were “offensive and degrading.” During that conversation Jackie asked Sandilands not to “attack” her. He replied, “this is talking, this isn’t attacking.”
The court documents also cite an occasion on 10th September last year, after another on air argument, when Jackie sent a message to the KIIS Network head, saying she would not “be spoken to that way,” asking him to refer the matter to management to think about how to address the complaints.
Jackie’s Complaint Letter asserts that ARN (CBC) did not implement any control measures to minimise the risk of bullying.
In the Kyle Sandilands’ case, legal correspondence obtained by radioinfo shows that ARN wrote to Kyle, through his lawyers on 3rd March asserting that he “made abusive, humiliating, and belittling comments to, and about, Ms Henderson while on-air.
“This included attacks on Ms Henderson’s personal character, work ethic, and job performance, and accused her of having lost touch with reality… These comments were intended seriously and were not said in jest… You also invited team members to engage in personal criticism of Ms Henderson.”
On 10th March Kyle’s lawyers replied to the ARN letter saying it could not be ‘misconduct’ for Kyle to present material of a “robust character” because ARN “desired” him to behave with “the tone, style, voice and robust character with which the presenter has performed radio presenter services during his career.”
Kyle’s lawyers have requested the court to hear the case quickly so that Kyle can get back on air. His affidavit says the issue began after on-air comments made by Sandilands to co-host Jackie Henderson on 20 February 2026. It doesn’t mention any previous incidents.
Hearings for Sandilands and Henderson are set for the same day later this month, on Friday 24 April when preliminary hearings will take place before Justice Angus Stewart.
Reporting: Steve Ahern