Mayor plays down violence threat

UPDATE: Colac Mayor Brian Cook has played down a homophobic attack that occurred in Colac over the weekend, accusing the media of “blow[ing] it out of proportion.”

Speaking on ABC radio yesterday, Cook – who attended the Dynamic launch but did not see the incident – dismissed that homophobia was a problem in the town, suggesting the homophobic threats came from only a small number of troublemakers.

“I don’t believe [homophobia] is any worse than anywhere else and in fact I’ll go to great lengths to to defend the youth of Colac,” Cook said.

“Really when you take it on balance [it’s] not a significant number of people, it’s not like they were hurling bottles or knives at people.

“I’m not trying to justify what was said in terms of abuse, because it’s totally unacceptable, but I think in any group or population you’re always going to get an element that will be coming up with unsatisfactory behaviour, and we’re no different from anywhere else in Victoria with respect to that.”

Cook said around 200 young people turned out to the launch of the anti-discrimination support group, which was a positive result.

Responding to Cook’s remarks, Creasey told the ABC he was disappointed with Cook’s comments and rejected claims the media had sensationalised the story.

“It has to be reported otherwise things like this will be swept under the carpet,” Creasey said.

“They were threatening me and for no other reason than who I was.”

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Openly gay comedian Joel Creasey was threatened with being gay-bashed by a group of around 20 teenagers while leaving an anti-discrimination event in Colac at the weekend.

Creasey, who was the guest speaker at the launch of a new local support group Dynamic (Diverse Youth Networking Against Discrimination In Colac), said he and his three friends were specifically targeted as they left the Straight Shooters pool hall on Murray St where the event was held.

Creasey told the Star Observer a group of teenage boys had earlier been behaving in an “intimidating” manner inside the venue.

“The second my three friends and I walked in [the pool hall] they were onto us,” Creasey said.

“Then they started saying some really disgusting things to us, which I can take, but seeing them do it in front of other gay youths, I think is horrible.”

The teenagers were asked to leave the event, but waited outside.

As Creasey and his friends left the venue, a larger group of mostly male teens hurled abuse at the four, calling them “fucking faggots”.
“They were waiting out the front for us … yelling abuse and really disgusting things,” Creasey said.

“I like to think I deal with this stuff all the time, being a comedian, but some of the stuff they were saying was so foul and so backward.

“They started saying ‘We’ll bash you’ and that’s when we started moving quickly towards the car.”

Friend Andy Balloch said the ordeal was frightening.

“They shouted ‘Oi faggot, why don’t you go back to your town and go and suck some dick, you freak’,” he told the Star Observer.

“We turned around and Joel yelled ‘It’s my anniversary, I’m probably going to’.

“Then the thugs were walking towards [us] hurling that abuse … so we got into the car and [left].”

Balloch said the incident showed the importance of support groups like Dynamic.

“It really, really highlights how important a support network like that is, in a place that has that kind of mentality among some of its residents,” he said.

“We sat in the car saying, it’s fine for us, we’re in a car on our way back to Melbourne. This is so unfair for the 15-year-olds who can’t leave Colac.”

It’s the second time Creasey has been subject to homophobic taunts in the southwest Victorian town. After performing in the Melbourne International Comedy Festival roadshow in Colac earlier this year, an audience member told Creasey after the show that he “hates poofters”.

“I really didn’t think the one day I went back to Colac, promoting diversity and anti-discrimination, I would be physically threatened,” Creasey said.

Dynamic founder Emma Warton told the Star Observer she was “disappointed” Creasey and his friends had been subject to the homophobic tirade.

“This event was about celebrating diversity in Colac and it’s disappointing that it’s overshadowed that.”

Warton stressed the incident was as a result of “a few troublemakers” and most Colac residents do not share the group’s views.

Victoria Police youth resources officer in Colac Terry Woodcroft said police will conduct further inquires into the matter, but said the incident will mostly spark a renewed discussion with young people in the area about discrimination.

“We definitely recognise this was a negative situation that occurred at an event that was otherwise getting the message of anti discrimination out there,” he said.

“We’re encouraged by the feedback we’re already getting from young people in the area that they disagree with what happened.”