Just a quick update: Ken has now found somewhere to live close to his work, and says he had a good day in court Wednesday.
The court gave Ken another two weeks in which to find witnesses to testify on his behalf in his case against the Dept. of Sustainability & Environment.
However, so far no-one in Mansfield is willing to testify, for a variety of reasons.
Some are fearful of losing their jobs. Some just wish Ken would give up. Ken is loath to do so because that would mean he finally has to give up on his dream of getting his family home back.
But at this stage the reality is, that without witnesses, the case will not get up in court.
The good news is that although he won't be able to go back to the family home and life as he knew it in Mansfield, with a place to live and a job, he now has the beginnings of a new life in Melbourne, and is beginning to move forward.
On the AFL front, however, Kens case progresses well. Although the VCFL and VFL are onside, the AFL continues recalcitrant, because they are angry at The RJM Trust and Rob Mitchell for championing Ken's case and insisting they have overall responsibility. But pressure on them is mounting.
Jason Akermanis wrote about the issue of gays in footy on his Herald Sun blog - please take a moment to read it and give him a pat on the back for having the courage to at least talk about the issue.
State Labor MP for Albert Park, Martin Foley, tabled motions inviting the Liberals to join Labor in condemning Jeff Kennetts remarks on Kens case, earning the wrath of Denis Napthine among others. I am reminded of UK politician Dennis Healey, who once said that being attacked by his opposite number on the Tory benches was 'like being savaged by a sheep.' I expect Martin's experience was similar!
Martin Foley's motions read:
this House condemns the former Liberal Premier of Victoria , President of the Hawthorn Football Club and Lord Mayor aspirant ,Jeff Kennett for his recent comments equating the presence of bi-sexual people in community organisations to having a ‘paedophile as a masseur in a football club’;
this House calls upon the Leader of the State Opposition to distance himself from the comments of the former Leader of the Liberal Party attacking our bisexual community and in so doing asks him to note that these types of remarks to the extent to which they go unchallenged can profoundly and adversely impact on the lives of lesbian gay and bi sexual members of our community;
this House calls upon the leader of the Opposition to take a public stand against the type comments and acts of homophobic vilification as reflected in the Former Liberal Leader Jeff Kennett’s comments and to take a step to protect the health and well being of all of those in our community
Please would you also take a moment to thanks Martin for his support martin.foley@parliament.vic.gov.au.
Support has also come from Greens member Sue Pennicuik, and Labor member Steve Herbert. And several Liberal members from both houses have written to me privately asking for more information on homophobia in rural areas, and expressing exasperation at Kennetts ill-thought remarks and his refusal to withdraw them or apologise.
Some of them have also privately congratulated Martin on his motions.
There will be more pressure on the AFL with an imminent announcement this weekend - watch this space.
Showing posts with label DSE. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DSE. Show all posts
Monday, August 18, 2008
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Bisexual man evicted
| Bisexual man evicted |  |  |  |
| Wednesday, 04 June 2008 | |
| Rachel Cook - MCV “I am not able to go to my home and I can be charged with trespass,” Campagnolo told MCV. “I asked the local shire for help but they have no emergency housing in Campagnolo was outed as bisexual by a work colleague while working as a forest contractor for the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE). He has consequently suffered homophobic harassment, including being stood down as a volunteer trainer with the Bonnie Doon Football Club due to fears of a backlash from the parents of children playing at the club, despite there being no suggestion he was a sexual predator. Campagnolo claims he has suffered years of verbal abuse from fellow DSE workers. He also alleges a DSE Manager told him: “You can fight the fires for free but you will never get a job with DSE because you are a poof.” His case of discrimination on the basis of sexuality against the DSE has been dismissed twice by the Victorian Civil Administrate Tribunal (VCAT), but is now due to be heard a third time. “DSE have launched another strike out application, their third,” said Rob Mitchell, of the RJM Trust, a philanthropic organisation set up assist people who have suffered sexuality-motivated discrimination. “Why keep trying to strike the case out? Because they can. When you are a government department with, to all intents and purposes, unlimited financial power and legal resources why wouldn’t you?” |
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Now Homeless - here's why
Ken rang me Friday to tell me that the mortgage company have foreclosed on him and changed the locks on his family home. He is now homeless and jobless, and forced to rely on his military survival skills.
He says he has made up his swag and a ration pack, and is OK for now, but he's obviously very shaken by the experience of being thrown out of the home he's lived in since he was born. He says - with his usual gallows humour - he's now Australia's newest street kid.
To recap for those who don't understand how this could happen:-
Ken went public with his story after enduring years of taunting and discrimination because of his sexuality.
As a result of Kens sexuality being made known in the press (it was already known privately to most people locally, including footy club officials and members), Bonnie Doon football club removed him as a trainer.
They said they did so because parents would be worried having Ken around underage boys, and this might affect recruitment. This led to Ken being called a paedophile and spat at in the streets of Mansfield (see previous posts).
Mud sticks, unfortunately, and although the club accepts there is no suggestion Ken is or was ever a paedophile, nor have here ever been any complaints against him, the damage has been done. BDFC have so far refused to make a public apology or retraction.
Ken was replaced as trainer at Bonnie Doon by one of the senior managers from the local DSE, who he alleges was responsible for much of the taunting he has endured, and for blocking his attempts to gain paid employment with them. The same local DSE recently made a sizeable cash gift to the club.
Al this meant Ken could no longer get work. He used to earn a living, not as a fireman, but as a forest contractor for DSE and other local forestry employers (and employed people himself). The DSE will no longer do business with him now that he has gone public with his story.
People who used to work alongside him fear to associate with him and have been warned not speak to the media about the situation. Other potential employers will not touch him, because places like Mansfield are tight-knit communities and people are unwilling to offend the DSE and in particular the local DSE management. It is, after all, a high fire-risk area.
As regards the tribunal, the process is playing out with regards to both the DSE and Bonnie Doon football club. The DSE have repeatedly refused to do anything other than request the case be thrown out as groundless. They have employed every possible blocking and delaying tactic, hoping to wear Ken down.
Local politicians, including Tony Lupton, David Davis, Gavin Jennings (the Minister responsible) and others have been approached by the RJM Trust on Kens behalf but have declined to meet with us or to assist, saying that the matter is being handled and please let us know how the
tribunal turns out. This is of no help to Ken, of course.
Ken had been reduced to ekeing out a living selling firewood, but the last time he came down to Melbourne for a tribunal hearing, he returned to Mansfield to find his entire stockpile had been set alight in his absence.
As the old saying goes, "there's no proof, but I've lost sixpence and you're eating lollies."
Today Tonight sniffed around the story a while back but lost interest. Maybe A Current Affair will pick it up.
Ken is homeless at the onset of winter. It's going to be a long cold wait for him till the tribunal grinds out a conclusion - see previous posts for a timeline.
Thanks for any practical help any of you can offer - it will be much appreciated. Please feel free to ask if there is any more information you would like or if you can help Ken in any way.
The RJM Trust, for which I work, is providing Ken with legal representation in all his cases against both BDFC and DSE.
Doug
He says he has made up his swag and a ration pack, and is OK for now, but he's obviously very shaken by the experience of being thrown out of the home he's lived in since he was born. He says - with his usual gallows humour - he's now Australia's newest street kid.
To recap for those who don't understand how this could happen:-
Ken went public with his story after enduring years of taunting and discrimination because of his sexuality.
As a result of Kens sexuality being made known in the press (it was already known privately to most people locally, including footy club officials and members), Bonnie Doon football club removed him as a trainer.
They said they did so because parents would be worried having Ken around underage boys, and this might affect recruitment. This led to Ken being called a paedophile and spat at in the streets of Mansfield (see previous posts).
Mud sticks, unfortunately, and although the club accepts there is no suggestion Ken is or was ever a paedophile, nor have here ever been any complaints against him, the damage has been done. BDFC have so far refused to make a public apology or retraction.
Ken was replaced as trainer at Bonnie Doon by one of the senior managers from the local DSE, who he alleges was responsible for much of the taunting he has endured, and for blocking his attempts to gain paid employment with them. The same local DSE recently made a sizeable cash gift to the club.
Al this meant Ken could no longer get work. He used to earn a living, not as a fireman, but as a forest contractor for DSE and other local forestry employers (and employed people himself). The DSE will no longer do business with him now that he has gone public with his story.
People who used to work alongside him fear to associate with him and have been warned not speak to the media about the situation. Other potential employers will not touch him, because places like Mansfield are tight-knit communities and people are unwilling to offend the DSE and in particular the local DSE management. It is, after all, a high fire-risk area.
As regards the tribunal, the process is playing out with regards to both the DSE and Bonnie Doon football club. The DSE have repeatedly refused to do anything other than request the case be thrown out as groundless. They have employed every possible blocking and delaying tactic, hoping to wear Ken down.
Local politicians, including Tony Lupton, David Davis, Gavin Jennings (the Minister responsible) and others have been approached by the RJM Trust on Kens behalf but have declined to meet with us or to assist, saying that the matter is being handled and please let us know how the
tribunal turns out. This is of no help to Ken, of course.
Ken had been reduced to ekeing out a living selling firewood, but the last time he came down to Melbourne for a tribunal hearing, he returned to Mansfield to find his entire stockpile had been set alight in his absence.
As the old saying goes, "there's no proof, but I've lost sixpence and you're eating lollies."
Today Tonight sniffed around the story a while back but lost interest. Maybe A Current Affair will pick it up.
Ken is homeless at the onset of winter. It's going to be a long cold wait for him till the tribunal grinds out a conclusion - see previous posts for a timeline.
Thanks for any practical help any of you can offer - it will be much appreciated. Please feel free to ask if there is any more information you would like or if you can help Ken in any way.
The RJM Trust, for which I work, is providing Ken with legal representation in all his cases against both BDFC and DSE.
Doug
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
What are they afraid of?
News has just come to hand that the Department of Sustainability and Environment is making a fresh application to have Ken's case struck out without a hearing.
This has all the hallmarks of the standard tactic used by bullies who know they are on shaky ground, but believe they have greater resources than the other side - wear the little man down and exhaust his resources by continual objection, so that the case never receives a full hearing and the strength or otherwise of their defence is never exposed.
One wonders why DSE are so anxious to avoid scrutiny of their actions and the testing of their evidence in open hearing. What have they got to hide?
They have already tried to pressure witnesses not to appear on Kens behalf: now it would appear they don't want any of their own to appear either.
What have they got to hide?
This has all the hallmarks of the standard tactic used by bullies who know they are on shaky ground, but believe they have greater resources than the other side - wear the little man down and exhaust his resources by continual objection, so that the case never receives a full hearing and the strength or otherwise of their defence is never exposed.
One wonders why DSE are so anxious to avoid scrutiny of their actions and the testing of their evidence in open hearing. What have they got to hide?
They have already tried to pressure witnesses not to appear on Kens behalf: now it would appear they don't want any of their own to appear either.
What have they got to hide?
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