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Australia royal prank DJ sues network

Sydney - An Australian DJ involved in a royal prank call to a London hospital that resulted in the suicide of a nurse is suing the broadcaster over workplace safety, her lawyer said on Wednesday.

Mel Greig endured a global backlash after the death of Indian-born nurse Jacintha Saldanha, who was found hanged three days after transferring a hoax call to staff caring for Prince William's pregnant wife Kate Middleton.

Greig and co-host Michael Christian, from Australia's Southern Cross Austereo radio network, were able to get details of Middleton's condition on air after posing as Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles on the phone.

Christian has since returned to the airwaves and was last month controversially awarded a "Top Jock" gong.

Leave of absence

Greig is still on an extended leave of absence and her lawyers said she was suing Austereo in the Fair Work Australia tribunal for failing to provide her a safe workplace, without going into details.

"I can confirm that a general protections application has been filed with Fair Work Australia on behalf of Mel Greig against Southern Cross Austereo," Greig's lawyer Steven Lewis told AFP.

"The application alleges Southern Cross Austereo failed to maintain a safe workplace. The matter will proceed to confidential conciliation under the Fair Work Act."

Lewis said Greig remained employed by Austereo and would not be making any comment on the case.

An Austereo spokesperson said the network would also not be commenting at this stage.

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