Campagnolo loses again
Victorian man Ken Campagnolo claims to be homeless and living in his car after losing his sexual harassment case against the Victorian Government, just one week after the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal denied him compensation for his sacking from the Bonnie Doon Football Club.
Campagnolo, whose name made headlines after he was sacked from his job as a trainer at the Bonnie Doon Football Club for being gay, has lost a separate court case against the Victorian Department of Environment and Sustainablity.
Campagnolo claimed that he had been sexually harassed and discriminated against, on the basis of being bisexual, while working for the department on and off between 1994 and 2006.
During his case, Campagnolo recounted incidents of having dolls placed on his locker, being given a doll as a Christmas present and having senior members of staff call him poofter.
He also made allegations that the Department had twice denied him a part-time position as a firefighter, after a superior, Chris Purcell, made comments about Campagnolo’s sexuality to the staff in charge of hiring.
VCAT vice president Judge Marilyn Harbison struck out the claims of sexual harassment saying that, Mr Purcell’s words may well be described as abusive and offensive, but they cannot as a matter of law be described as sexual harassment because they do not represent an unwelcome sexual advance.
Harbison did not deliberate on the allegations of discrimination, choosing instead to adjourn the case until Campagnolo could receive better legal advice, rather than attempting to represent himself.
So if he’s OK about being bi-sexual then why would he object to being called a “poofter”. I’ve heard gay guys use the same word to describe themselves. Perhaps this guy is just extraordinarily sensitive or paranoid? Apparently, he’d been given a Barbie Doll as a Christmas present because his name was Ken (so all it was was a play on the name – get it Ken and Barbie). If they wanted to make references to his bi-sexuality, they would have given him a Ken Doll instead. Over the top. If the club was worried because there were minors involved in training, then clearly they have an obligation to the parents and he was an unpaid volunteer not an employee in any event so it is not unlawful dicrimination in employment. Discrimination legislation is quite specific and unless the action is specifically in breach of particular elements of the Act it does not constitute unlawful discrimination if fro example, he may just not have liked it. He is just digging himself in deeper and is looking the fool having had several claims of discrimination already thrown out of court.
It’s hardly about ordinary citizens for gay,bi,lesbian…
I’m speaking for the so-called politically incorrect bunch when I say I can’t see how gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered can be used in the same paragraph as “ordinary citizens.” If that’s ordinary, there shouldn’t be any need for this group to seek audiences in our high schools and colleges to convince young minds of their ordinariness.
bi/gay/lesbian http://www.FindBilover.com