Sony Music Aus Fallout Continues As ARIA Withdraw Award To Denis Handlin

The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) have announced that an award given to their former Vice Chairman and former Sony Music Australia CEO Denis Handlin.

In a short statement released today, the association commented, "The Board of ARIA has today resolved to withdraw the ARIA award made to Denis Handlin in 2014."

The announcement comes just days after QMusic made the same call to revoke an honorary award to Handlin, following the ongoing fallout he and his former company of Sony Music Australia - fuelled further by the investigation conducted by ABC's Four Corners on Monday night.

"Following ongoing reports of systemic bullying, discrimination, and misconduct under Handlin's leadership, we cannot let QMusic's acknowledgement and celebration of his career stand," QMusic President Natalie Strijland and CEO Kris Stewart said earlier this week.

"[The] harrowing Four Corners  investigative report  laid bare the undeniable fact that the culture at Sony Music Australia during Denis Handlin’s tenure came with significant human cost."

The decision from ARIA is an update from their statement released on Tuesday - which reads the following:

No one should feel unsafe, harassed, discriminated against, or bullied in the workplace. 

ARIA will continue to work towards safety, inclusion and equality across the music industry including through the cultural change process that was started in May this year. 

We will listen to the voices that need to be heard and provide our wholehearted support every step of the way.

Sony Music Entertainment Australia, as well as the New York head office, are yet to publicly respond following the airing of the Four Corners investigation.