Response from Matthew Palavidis to 60 Minutes, through his lawyers

At no stage, to our client's knowledge, has he ever made any female staff feel uncomfortable and our client refutes any allegation strongly.

At no stage has our client ever requested to only have female waitresses. Nor has he ever requested any specific nationality to wait on his table. 

Our client's spending habits as an individual taxpayer are our client's business and his business only. This particular line of amateurish questioning stinks of a pile on of our client and the Merviale group/Mr Hemmes.

At no stage has our client called himself a whale.

The matter before the court has not concluded and it would be unwise for any party to raise anything about that particular case, as it could pervert the course of justice. Where and when our client goes as a private taxpaying citizen, is entirely a matter for him. 

Watch the full episode of 60 Minutes on 9Now.