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Dave Dunlay, a breakfast host at The Breeze, visited Facebook to share his story two weeks after losing his job, saying he wanted to stop rumors and speculation about the details of his departure.
His employer, Mediaworks, said his trip during the lockdown was wrong and said the station was “incredibly disappointed” by his decision.
“It’s a weird feeling when you wake up one morning and you don’t have a job to go to,” Dunlay wrote.
“I am not alone, as many people are experiencing this right now. You feel embarrassed and frustrated, there are feelings of shock, there is no control over circumstances and a perceived loss of respect as we see ourselves through the work we do. “
Dunlay said it was time to “move on” and wanted to explain what happened to his own mental health.
Dunlay said the only public statement from his employers came early last week when a short statement announced that “Dave is no longer with The Breeze.”
He has co-hosted the breakfast program in Christchurch with Hilary Muir since 2017.
Dunlay revealed that his contract was terminated for violating the level four blocking rules after he drove to the Banks Peninsula the weekend before Easter to deliver medication to his elderly dog, who was staying with his wife and daughter.
“‘The Wednesday before Easter, I drove to our lifestyle property at French Farm, where my wife and daughter were being locked up. My daughter just returned from abroad and initially spent time alone to isolate herself,” Dunlay wrote.
Dunlay claims that his wife had joined their daughter after their 14-day isolation, but forgot to take medication for the 14-year-old Squeaky family dog.
He said he also visited the property to deliver food and supplies to the couple and to support their daughter, who had experienced a “very stressful” time flying home from the UK.
Dunlay claims that he checked with a vet before making the trip and was told that delivering medication to an animal was considered “essential.”
The advice on the website of the Ministry of Primary Industries states that: “You are allowed to travel to take care of your animals. This includes providing your animals with food, water and any other aspect that you need to provide to fulfill their responsibilities under the Welfare Law. Animal and relevant welfare codes “.
Dunlay added that he investigated the regulations with his wife and the couple decided that the trip did not constitute rape.
He added that he traveled alone and did not meet anyone else during the trip.
Dunlay claims that two of his colleagues were aware of his trip and expressed their concerns to a manager, who relayed it to senior management.
Mediaworks then terminated Dunlay’s contract, citing damage to his reputation.
A Mediaworks spokesman said in a statement:
“MediaWorks was incredibly disappointed to learn that Dave Dunlay decided to travel from his home to another location during the closure of Alert Level 4 … His actions compromised not only the safety of his colleagues but the efforts and sacrifices of all New Zealanders who they are adhering to the rules as we fight Covid-19.
“MediaWorks wants to make it very clear that it has strict policies to ensure that we keep our people safe and comply with all government blocking regulations.
MediaWorks made it very clear to staff that they must abide by the rules while fighting Covid-19. “
Dunlay wrote that while some might think his employer was justified, he believed the response was “harsh.”
“I appreciate that some people reading this think it is fair, you are an idiot for breaking the established guidelines for the well-being of all New Zealanders, and the loss of my job is justified,” he wrote.
“However, others would argue that this is an extremely harsh response and that a two-week suspension without pay could have been a better option.”
Dunlay also spoke out against the two colleagues who reported their trip to their superiors.
“What is disappointing is that my two colleagues, who were concerned about my failure, did not mention any concerns to me,” he wrote.
In a statement to the Herald, Dunlay said he endorsed everything he wrote and said he was confident that his trip was allowed under lockdown.
“Given the personal circumstances and the research I had done, and the questions I had asked about the government council, I was certain that my reasons for traveling were reasonable reasons,” he said.
“Police efforts focused on education and during the Easter recess they allowed many people to travel if they had reasonable reasons. The police were checking with each driver to make sure their trip was an essential trip. I was sure that my trip was.
“At the end of the day, I made a decision and it cost me my job. I have already apologized to MediaWorks for any potential harm my actions have caused them.
“However, I am still at a loss to know what law or breach of ethics I violated; this remains a very gray area in very stressful and uncertain times.”
Telling supporters that the incident was the only time in a forty-year career that he faced a disciplinary problem, he promised not to let it “negatively” mark his media time and paid tribute to his listeners.
He told the Herald that he was “impressed” by the support he had received since sharing his story.
“I will fondly remember the time I spent with the Breeze Canterbury audience and the great people I have worked with on the radio. Stay safe and be nice.”
