Rebel Sport owner faces escalating legal threat

The board of Rebel Sport owner, Super Retail Group, faces an escalating crisis as Harmers Lawyers says more current and former employees have approached it about a potential lawsuit against the group, amid allegations of an undisclosed relationship involving its boss Anthony Heraghty as well as governance issues and bullying claims.

Since Super Retail’s Friday disclosure that it faced a $50 million lawsuit by two employees over allegations of bullying, victimisation and adverse treatment, Harmers said it “had been approached by a number of present Super Retail employees very concerned about crucial governance issues”.

Super Retail also owns Supercheap Auto, Macpac and BCF.

Harmers said it was acting for four clients who are whistleblowers against Super Retail as defined by the Corporations Act. The legal firm said it had been approached by more current and ex-employees with similar concerns and that any action would extend to Heraghty personally as chief executive.

“Super Retail is well aware that this is not a ‘shakedown’, but a justifiable legal claim for damages, being deliberately misrepresented,” it said.

“We are confident that other current and former SRG staff will support our clients’ claims.”

On Monday, Harmers revealed that a third party, not associated with the retail group, had also approached it “with key evidence about the previously undisclosed personal relationship between Heraghty and his former direct report, and Super Retail’s former chief human resource officer Jane Kelly.”

According to the lawyers, the retailer denied any relationship between the two as recently as this month.

“When Harmers pointed out that it had clear proof of an intimate relationship, and thus a significant unreported conflict of interest, Super Retail’s position immediately shifted,” Harmers said.