Emie WangKane Cornes did not choose to leave the AFL's All-Australian selection panel or his Rising Star judging role in 2026. Sportsbet did it for him. The betting company announced a policy change that any current sports officials or administrators would no longer feature in their media programming — and Cornes, who holds an existing contract with the betting agency alongside fellow media personality Nathan Brown, was caught directly in the crossfire.
"It wasn't my decision, and it wasn't the decision of the AFL," Cornes stated publicly after the move. "It was a change of policy from Sportsbet. I have an existing contract with Sportsbet that I want to honour. I could have walked away from it but I would have been breaking a contract."
AFL umpire Nick Foot separately ended his employment with Sportsbet's racing department as part of the same policy shift.
The story has highlighted something many Australians who hold multiple professional roles rarely consider in advance: what happens when your employer's business creates a conflict with another role you hold — and what are your obligations when that conflict suddenly materialises?
What Is a Conflict of Interest Clause?
Australian employment contracts and service agreements increasingly include conflict of interest provisions. These clauses require employees, contractors, or official appointees to disclose situations where their personal or financial interests could — or could appear to — compromise their duties.
In sport, conflict of interest rules are especially sensitive because of the gambling industry's relationship with match outcomes. The AFL has progressive conflict of interest governance covering roles such as selectors, administrators, and officials. Sportsbet's decision pre-empted any formal AFL finding by proactively removing the conflict from within its own business.
According to the Fair Work Ombudsman, employment contracts can lawfully include provisions restricting secondary employment, requiring disclosure of competing interests, or preventing employees from participating in activities that conflict with the employer's business or integrity obligations.
The Cornes Situation — A Case Study
Cornes' situation illustrates how conflict of interest clauses can operate at cross-purposes. He held two overlapping roles:
- A paid media role with Sportsbet — a company whose core product involves wagering on AFL outcomes
- An official AFL role as an All-Australian selector and Rising Star judge — positions that directly influence AFL-adjacent commercial interests, including player valuations and betting markets
When Sportsbet determined this overlap created reputational or regulatory risk, it changed its internal policy and removed Cornes from media duties covered by the conflict. Cornes, bound by his existing contract, was left without a viable option: honouring the contract meant losing the AFL roles; breaking the contract meant legal exposure.
It is worth noting that nothing in the public reporting suggests any wrongdoing by Cornes. The situation arose because two legitimate professional engagements became incompatible when a third party — Sportsbet — changed the rules.
What Australian Workers Should Know About Conflicting Roles
Multi-employment is common — but rarely stress-tested
Many Australians hold concurrent roles: a full-time employee who also sits on a board, a freelance consultant who works for competing firms, a public servant who moonlights as an adviser, a sports official who also works in an industry adjacent to their sport. These arrangements often exist comfortably until a policy change, business acquisition, or regulatory shift brings the conflict into sharp relief.
Conflict of interest provisions can be broad
Australian courts have upheld conflict of interest clauses that require disclosure of secondary income, prohibit work for competitors, or restrict participation in regulated activities during and after employment. Understanding the scope of any such provision before accepting a second role is essential.
Loyalty and confidentiality duties extend beyond contract terms
Australian employment law recognises implied duties of fidelity and loyalty. Even without an express conflict of interest clause, an employee who uses confidential information or professional positioning gained from one role to advantage a competing engagement may be in breach of these implied duties.
Breaking a contract has consequences
Cornes was explicit: walking away from his Sportsbet contract to preserve the AFL panel roles would have constituted a breach. Exit from a fixed-term or ongoing service contract without lawful grounds can expose the departing party to damages claims equal to the value of the remaining contract term, or the cost of replacing them.
If you are an Australian professional currently holding multiple roles, and one of those roles involves an industry adjacent to gambling, finance, healthcare, or public administration, this is the moment to review your contracts.
What To Do If You're in a Similar Position
If you hold multiple professional roles — whether as an employee, contractor, board member, or official appointee — proactive legal review is far less costly than crisis management.
An employment lawyer can help you:
- Review existing contracts for conflict of interest provisions and understand their scope
- Draft appropriate disclosure letters to both parties before accepting a new role
- Assess your exposure if a policy change puts two existing roles in conflict
- Negotiate exit terms if a conflict becomes unavoidable — without breaching one contract to honour the other
- Understand your implied duties of loyalty and what information must be kept separate
Kane Cornes and Nathan Brown's situation in 2026 AFL media is an unusually public example of a challenge that plays out quietly for thousands of Australian professionals every year. The time to address it is before the conflict crystallises — not after a phone call from a policy team.
Connect with an employment law specialist on Expert Zoom to review your contracts and protect your professional reputation.
This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Consult a qualified Australian employment lawyer for advice specific to your circumstances.
