An investigation into a New Zealand man, which stopped him taking up the role of Director at Auckland Art Gallery, has now been blocked in a Canadian court.
It comes after the Canadian Human Rights Commission action into Gregory Burke saw ‘unreasonable delay’, causing ‘significant prejudice’.
Mr Burke, the former chief executive of Remai Modern Art Museum in Saskatoon Canada, was set to return to New Zealand and take over as Auckland Art Gallery’s director last year.
He withdrew his application in the wake of the human rights complaint against him.
Canadian Network, CBC News reports that a Saskatoon judge has ordered that Mr Burke be removed from the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission case, saying the 31-month investigation has been unusually delayed. causing "significant prejudice”.
The complaint being investigated was from a woman Mr Burke worked with during his time at Remai Modern Art Museum, alleging he repeatedly undermined and bullied her on the basis of her gender from March 2013 to October 2014.
CBC News is reporting that in October Mr Burke applied to have the investigation ended either in whole or only as far as it concerned him.
In a statement Gregory Burke told 1 NEWS, he’s greatly relieved that the complaint “falsely alleging discrimination of a former employee on the basis of gender, has been stayed”.
“In a thorough review of the facts and investigative process, Justice Brenda Hildebrandt confirmed that ‘there were no statements containing sexual content nor any overt acts of gender or sex-based discrimination alleged in the complaint,’” he said.
“I have always supported gender equality, as any fair review of my work as a curator and museum director would reveal”.
"I look forward to resuming my career in 2020”.
SHARE ME