Radio star Ray Hadley blasts reporter for ‘utterly insensitive’ story on NSW enforcer Payne Haas’ emotional call to his mum as she remains in jail on three charges of alleged manslaughter: ‘Hang your head in shame’
- Blues star Payne Haas phoned his mother in jail on Sunday
- Confirmed he was picked for NSW Blues ahead of Origin opener
- Joan Taufua is awaiting trial, charged with manslaughter
- Follows shocking incident on December 30 on the Gold Coast
- Radio star Ray Hadley stunned by ‘insensitive story’ by News Corp
Radio identity Ray Hadley has blasted News Corp for publishing an ‘utterly insensitive’ story revealing NSW prop Payne Haas’ emotional call to his mum in jail to confirm his Origin selection as she faces three charges of alleged manslaughter.
Speaking on his 2GB morning show on Wednesday, Hadley was incensed about the lack of respect shown towards the three victims – retired doctor Chris Fawcett, 79, his partner Susan Zimmer, 70, and her daughter Steffanie, 35.
They were all killed in a horror smash at the Gold Coast hinterland on December 30 with Uiatu ‘Joan’ Taufua at the wheel in the other vehicle.
Taufua, 46, has also been charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, evading police and driving without a licence following the crash.
‘This story [by News Corp’s Brent Read] is completely and utterly insensitive,’ a seething Hadley told his listeners on Wednesday.
NSW Blues star Payne Haas made an emotional phone to his mother in jail following confirmation of his Origin selection on Sunday
‘Three innocent people lost their lives and this story talks about how Joan Taufua will watch her son Payne Haas play Origin next week while in custody on TV.
‘It is undignified and shows a lack of respect for the victims and their families.’
News Corp ran the Haas piece in the Daily Telegraph, The Courier Mail and The Australian on Wednesday.
The radio veteran suggested Read should ‘hang his head in shame’ and ‘there’s got to be a better rugby league story [in the lead up to the Origin opener on May 31] than this one.’
Taufua is currently behind bars at the Southern Queensland Correctional Centre, in Brisbane’s west – and could be housed there for some time.
Her son, arguably the best front-rower in the game, admitted her incarceration has taken its toll on their close-knit family.
Uiatu ‘Joan’ Taufua is behind bars after she was charged with three counts of manslaughter following a crash on December 30 on the Gold Coast
‘I actually spoke to her [on Sunday] on the phone and told her the news,’ Haas told News Corp.
‘It was good to hear from my mum. I do love her dearly. She was stoked. She makes sure I stay grounded and tells me how it is.
‘Any way I can make her days a bit better while she is in the slammer at the moment, I will try to do that.’
Haas also said he will look to proudly represent his family in the Origin arena before the in-demand Broncos forward went onto address his football future.
‘I haven’t spoken to anyone from rugby, I can’t talk to anyone until November 1, and I’m happy at the Broncos,’ Haas said.
Despite speculation he may defect to the Wallabies, Haas has declared he ‘hasn’t thought about’ leaving the Broncos and the NRL
‘I played rugby when I was younger. I was a No.8. [But] I haven’t thought about it. At the end of the day, I’m at the Broncos.’
The Haas family were also rocked by another incident recently after Zeda, 19, was rushed to hospital from a suspected drug overdose.
He has since been ‘read the riot act’ by his father after it emerged the teenager had taken the party drug GHB.
Zeda was taken by ambulance to Gold Coast University Hospital in a critical condition, but was later released.
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