It's good and bad news for Ken. On the plus side, he now has a job here in Melbourne, so he is at last earning an income again.
Now all he needs is a home. If there's anyone in the Ringwood area who could help, please get in touch.
The bad news is that he is finding it impossible to persuade anyone in Mansfield to testify on his behalf in court. It appears that pressure has been applied behind the scenes and people are fearful of losing their jobs.
So it has been one step forward and one back. Naturally Ken is pleased to be working again, but Kennetts intervention was, as he says, a kick in the guts.
Given this increased pressure on Ken and the lack of support from his former colleagues and neighbours, it's hard to know what to do next.
I'll keep you posted.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Online Poll
Should Jeff Kennett make a public apology to the gay community over his remarks equating gays and paedophiles?
3AW has some great audio of John Michael Hewson talking about this, and the station is running an online polls.
http://www.mytalk.com.au/Pages/default.aspx
Please vote YES - Kennett needs to acknoledge he was wrong, instead of just the current mealy-mouthed "I was taken out of context" nonsense.
As a TV reporter said to me "It's hard to imagine any context that would make his remarks mean anything except what they appear to men."
3AW has some great audio of John Michael Hewson talking about this, and the station is running an online polls.
http://www.mytalk.com.au/Pages/default.aspx
Please vote YES - Kennett needs to acknoledge he was wrong, instead of just the current mealy-mouthed "I was taken out of context" nonsense.
As a TV reporter said to me "It's hard to imagine any context that would make his remarks mean anything except what they appear to men."
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Ken on Joy this arvo/Ch 7 tonight
I interviewed Ken on Allegro Non Troppo on Joy during the first hour of the show 11-12 noon today, and also Rodney Croome of the Australian Coalition for Equality.
Rodney was able to confirm that Kennett stands by his comments and has confirmed he was not misquoted or taken out of context.
He is now left with nowhere to go except to resign or to withdraw and apologise - not exactly courses of action he is famous for.
Meanwhile Ken is due to be interviewed for Channel 7 news tonight: I'll be on hand to give moral support.
Rodney was able to confirm that Kennett stands by his comments and has confirmed he was not misquoted or taken out of context.
He is now left with nowhere to go except to resign or to withdraw and apologise - not exactly courses of action he is famous for.
Meanwhile Ken is due to be interviewed for Channel 7 news tonight: I'll be on hand to give moral support.
Jeff Kennetts homophobia
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24083078-661,00.html
Jeff Kennett gay storm
Article from: Sunday Herald Sun
James Campbell
July 27, 2008 12:00am
EXCLUSIVE: FORMER state premier Jeff Kennett has provoked a gay rights storm by backing a football club that sacked a trainer for being gay.
The Hawthorn president and potential Melbourne lord mayor sparked calls for his sacking after saying Bonnie Doon Football Club was within its rights to sack veteran trainer Ken Campagnolo after it found out he was gay.
"The club felt that once this had been pointed out and you had this gentleman there who was obviously close to young men - massaging young men - it ran an unnecessary risk and that's why it decided it was best that he not perform those duties again. So the club was trying to do the right thing," Mr Kennett said.
"When you are in charge of a group of young boys, as this club was as I understand it, it's got to make sure."
Mr Kennett said it was as if the club had a pedophile trainer.
"It's the same if you have a pedophile there as a masseur, right?"
"And you might say the pedophile would do no damage, but once it was pointed out to you, you have a duty of care to those underage children not to put them in a situation of risk."
He could not guarantee a gay trainer would be welcome at Hawthorn, adding: "I don't know if we've got any.
"I'm just saying at the moment we have a duty of care to our players and staff and you have to make judgments on that. If you don't do it you end up with potential legal liability."
Mr Campagnolo is fighting the Bonnie Doon Football Club, the AFL and Benalla and District Football League in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal over his 2007 sacking.
On Friday, the AFL failed in a bid to have his complaint against it struck out, with the tribunal ruling the matter must go to mediation.
Mr Campagnolo said he was appalled by Mr Kennett's remarks.
"I am not a pedophile. Does that mean every straight male doctor cannot treat any female patient?" he said.
Rodney Croome, of the Australian Coalition for Equality, said: "Jeff Kennett should immediately step aside from his role in Beyond Blue."
Jeff Kennett gay storm
Article from: Sunday Herald Sun
James Campbell
July 27, 2008 12:00am
EXCLUSIVE: FORMER state premier Jeff Kennett has provoked a gay rights storm by backing a football club that sacked a trainer for being gay.
The Hawthorn president and potential Melbourne lord mayor sparked calls for his sacking after saying Bonnie Doon Football Club was within its rights to sack veteran trainer Ken Campagnolo after it found out he was gay.
"The club felt that once this had been pointed out and you had this gentleman there who was obviously close to young men - massaging young men - it ran an unnecessary risk and that's why it decided it was best that he not perform those duties again. So the club was trying to do the right thing," Mr Kennett said.
"When you are in charge of a group of young boys, as this club was as I understand it, it's got to make sure."
Mr Kennett said it was as if the club had a pedophile trainer.
"It's the same if you have a pedophile there as a masseur, right?"
"And you might say the pedophile would do no damage, but once it was pointed out to you, you have a duty of care to those underage children not to put them in a situation of risk."
He could not guarantee a gay trainer would be welcome at Hawthorn, adding: "I don't know if we've got any.
"I'm just saying at the moment we have a duty of care to our players and staff and you have to make judgments on that. If you don't do it you end up with potential legal liability."
Mr Campagnolo is fighting the Bonnie Doon Football Club, the AFL and Benalla and District Football League in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal over his 2007 sacking.
On Friday, the AFL failed in a bid to have his complaint against it struck out, with the tribunal ruling the matter must go to mediation.
Mr Campagnolo said he was appalled by Mr Kennett's remarks.
"I am not a pedophile. Does that mean every straight male doctor cannot treat any female patient?" he said.
Rodney Croome, of the Australian Coalition for Equality, said: "Jeff Kennett should immediately step aside from his role in Beyond Blue."
Friday, July 25, 2008
Update - Kennet steps in
UPDATE: the AFL has tried yet again to have Kens case against them thrown out but failed.
Ken has finally found a new job in
And keep an eye out for the Herald Sun this weekend as Jeff Kennet makes a dramtic intervention in the case.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
VCAT Today
Just a quick note to say that Kens case(s) relating to the footy club and AFL will be on at VCAT today. Mainstream press are likely to attend. As you may know from the gay press, and radio, the AFL have been sending out mixed signals, basically claiming they mean well but would rather follow than lead on the issue of sexual orientation discrimination.
More soom
More soom
Thursday, July 3, 2008
VCFL to Extend its Discrimination Policies
The country football fraternity, along with parts of the broader general public of Victoria, would be aware through wide media coverage of the Ken Campagnolo case.
Mr Campagnolo was a sports trainer for the Bonnie Doon FC for several years until his employment was terminated by the club in April 2007 under the allegation by Mr Campagnolo that the club's reason for termination was because of his sexual orientation.
As a consequence of the of the action of the Bonnie Doon FC, Mr Campagnolo lodged a Statement of Complaint against various parties to the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission alleging 'discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in the areas of clubs and goods and services and victimisation pursuant to the Equal Opportunity Act 1995 (Vic).'
Two of the parties that had Statements of Complaint issued against them were the Victorian Country Football League (VCFL) and their Chief Executive Officer, Glenn Scott.
Mr. Scott, representing himself and the VCFL, met with Mr Campagnolo recently at the VEO and HRC and the matter was settled.
Without any admission of liability the VCFL wishes to advise the following:
"The VCFL strongly reject all acts and notions of discrimination throughout all levels of community football and netball and the very communities these clubs represent.
The discrimination at the centre of this matter, sexual orientation discrimination, as with all forms of discrimination, is totally unacceptable.
The VCFL Board are committed to the formulating of appropriate policies (including complaints and disciplinary procedures) as well as appropriate training programs, including sexual orientation discrimination in the coming months.
The training and delivering of the messages contained in the policies will follow the same regularity as that of existing discrimination policies of the VCFL."
As a result of the meeting with the VCFL and Glenn Scott, Mr Campagnolo agrees to release both the VCFL and Glenn Scott from any action or claim arising out of the allegations of discrimination and/or harassment.
*End of Statement*
Glenn Scott
Chief Executive Officer
WorkSafe Victoria Country Football League
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
