This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Australia, which closed in 2021.

'Lowest Of The Low' : Nine News Journalist Maggie Raworth Abused For Doing Her Job

But this isn't an isolated incident.
Maggie Raworth

Nine News journalist Maggie Raworth was doing her job just like any other day when she coped verbal abuse from a member of the public.

Wearing a flannelette shirt, sunglasses and baggy pants, a man approached Raworth as she prepared for a piece-to-camera outside the Ballarat Court on Monday. The abuse began with the man claiming he earns more money than Raworth and her camera crew.

"I make 10 times the f--king money you do," the man said in a video Raworth posted to her Facebook page.

"Get a real job both of you. F--cking journos, lowest of the low," the man continued.

Raworth responded calmly asking, "What's your problem sir?"

She continued by saying, "What have I done to you personally?"

The man told Raworth that her choice to become a journalist was the wrong she had committed against him.

"You chose to be a journalist. There are a million-and-one jobs in this world and you chose to be a lying piece of sh-t for a living," the man said.

The abuse didn't stop there. The man then attacked Raworth's physical appearance.

"In five f--cking years you'll be out of the job, all wrinkled up and sh-t. I mean you're already getting fat and that," he said.

In response, Raworth calmly pulled out her phone and started filming her abuser.

"Make me famous b-tch," he said back.

Well, he might not be famous but 9News reports that the man is known to Victoria Police, who are considering charging him with offensive behaviour.

Raworth responded calmly to the verbal attack and filmed her abuser on her phone.
Maggie Raworth
Raworth responded calmly to the verbal attack and filmed her abuser on her phone.

Following the attack, Raworth said that these kinds of incidents aren't unusual.

"I cover a lot of court and usually when I'm doing a piece-to-camera or vox pop and when people can see a microphone, they yell out from across the road or from their cars," Raworth told 9News.

"It upsets me about how misinformed people are about the work we do. I was most insulted by what he thinks of journalists and the work we do.

"I couldn't lie in a story. No journalist could get away with lying as our producers wouldn't let us."

Raworth also told 9News that the comments about her weight didn't bother her.

"I don't care what he said about my weight. I'm a confident person and he definitely chose the wrong target. When he said get a real job that made me so angry."

Close
This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Australia. Certain site features have been disabled. If you have questions or concerns, please check our FAQ or contact support@huffpost.com.