MP: Review beyondblue funding
Albert Park Labor MP Martin Foley has called on the Baillieu Government to consider dropping its funding of national depression initiative beyondlue unless current chair Jeff Kennett steps down or apologises for disparaging remarks he made about same-sex parenting.
In a newspaper column last month, Kennett claimed heterosexual marriages were better for the mental health of children.
Former beyondblue CEO Dawn O’Neil — who has since resigned following the ensuing criticism of Kennett’s views — last month distanced beyondblue from Kennett’s remarks, saying they were not backed up by research.
Foley told the Star Observer Kennett should “either apologise or resign” and Mental Health Minister Mary Wooldridge should review the $3.5 million the state government funds the organisation annually.
“Given the significant amount of state money given here, is it not therefore time for at least the Minister for Mental Health to step in and question what value the state is getting for that money?” Foley said.
“The chair should either desist from his clearly bordering on homophobic views … that do not assist the work beyondblue is apparently trying to do for the LGBTI community.
“The state should make it clear that its funding is at risk if this is not resolved.”
Foley said Kennett’s public view on same-sex parenting is “incompatible” with the work beyondblue is doing for depression in the LGBTI community.
“He can’t just take one hat off and put one hat on and say ‘I’m a media commentator’ one day [making] these disgraceful comments about same-sex parenting and the next sit around a board table of beyondblue setting strategic directions, allocating resources, on that very issue,” he said.
“It doesn’t wash.
“The lever the state has and the lever the Minister for Mental Health has is $3.5 million dollars of funding.”
A spokesman for Wooldridge’s office said the Baillieu Government continues to support the organisation’s work.
“The Victorian Government, along with the federal Government, and other states and territories, support the work Mr Kennett and the organisation do in providing a national focus and commitment to increasing the capacity of the broad Australian community to prevent depression effectively,” he said.
From 2005 – 2010 the Victorian Government funded beyondblue $17.5 million.
All funding from the Commonwealth, state and territory governments has been extended to 2015.
From The Age…..
Gay report shelved, say beyondblue ex-staff
Australia’s depression charity restricted access to a key report into gay and lesbian mental health because staff were concerned about the views of the organisation’s chairman Jeff Kennett, former employees – and the report’s author – claim.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/gay-report-shelved-say-beyondblue-exstaff-20110930-1l1n6.html#ixzz1ZTIhfHvK
Suddenly, a few inner city Labor MP’s are speaking up about progressive and social justice issues. I am an old cynic by now at 54! What about when you were in Government, Labor MP’s? I would say that things are getting even bleaker in inner city electorates around the country for Labor. Looks as though they will need all the help they can get via preferences from their Liberal/Conservative Party mates!
The criticism shouldn’t be the simplistic cries of homophobia, but the more nuanced criticism of scientifically research. Though, it’s not surprising Jeff Kennett said what he said. He compared homosexuality with pædophilia in 2008
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/kennett-gay-storm/story-e6frf7l6-1111117025363
I know Jeff is good at marketing, it was his old business before he entered parliament. The spin “A national initiative on depression” is brilliant marketing. The soft sad butterfly symbol, by brand guru Ken Kato, is also magnificent.
Now we all know Beyond Help a little better, what logo would best suite them?
The Victorian State Labor increased Beyond Helps funding after Jeff Kennett said employing a bisexual person is like employing a paedophile. How ironic now they are in opposition they are acting serious on not funding homophobia, or maybe not. I seem to now remember why I vote Green. It was just one MP who has spoken out!
How extraordinary they would expect Jeff Kennett’s best friend, and former Minister of his government, Attorney General of Victoria, Robert Clarke, to do anything about this when Clarke told parliament homosexuality is a sick disease, and we are more likely to molest children (quoting a dubious medical student text and no study at all of course). Would you really think Prahran MP Clem Newton-Brown would do anything about this after he voted for thousands of government funded jobs to be based on your sexuality, and not your ability, when he voted to strip GLBTI people of many workplace protections in the Victorian Equal Opportunity Act? He excluded thousands of us from jobs. The Liberal Party are economic vandals making the best person not get the job, but instead worrying about who you love and spend your life with. I think it is economic madness to make your birth a punishment.
Should we imagine life under the cruelness of Abbott for a moment? Maybe another time…..
The State Liberal Government has just been busy cutting millions out of public hospital budgets for “Cost Savings”. But it might be too much to ask Jeff Kennett to give up his slush fund just yet. I am sure he has yet more stupid comments coming.
Wake-up Jeff? Who are you kidding, you are not even a doctor or nurse or community worker, you have never been a researcher, yet you are an expert on mental health? No Jeff, I think you are an expert at pulling a slush fund together, and I am sure those millions from the AFL clubs, has not influenced your new found opinions on problem gambling. Yeah right, pull the other one. Does anyone smell a dead rat? At least your former CEO O’Neil, never travelled business class. How odd she should have to depart after she quoted scientific studies, and not the arrogant opinion reminding me of a bigot selling snake oil potions.
You see Beyond Blue has too many conflicts of interest to get a cent of public money. Corporate, private, and public donations ruin it, let alone all those millions from us in taxes. It does not produce evidence based guidelines but tabloid spin. Therapeutic guidelines does evidence based guidelines for doctors based on the latest clinical research, but you probably never heard of them unless you are a health professional. Beyond Blue is not even an academic group, no, it is just a think tank on depression and can do great things, or not so great due to the conflicts of interest. It is up to Jeff really. That is the problem.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/kennett-in-blue-over-travel-costs-20110927-1kvgy.html#ixzz1ZOmF0kQK
…….MENTAL health advocates have accused Jeff Kennett of being careless with donations and public money by allowing the beyondblue board – and himself – to fly business class around Australia.
In an unusual practice for not-for-profit organisations, the depression initiative’s board flies business class, and its travel and accommodation budget has risen 27 per cent in the past four years to $364,000. Mr Kennett confirmed to The Age yesterday that he instigated the long-term policy as a return for the board’s ”considerable contribution”.
For more about Robert Clarke’s hate speech to parliament the link is below.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/libs-take-dim-view-of-homosexuals/2005/11/26/1132966006762.html
OMG. I’m still depressed!
Lets all go to Victoria and chain ourselves to the furniture.
Show them we mean business.
Put all your security guards on duty, and waste more money Mr. Kennett.
It won’t scare this Karate Queen.
He’s actually speaking the attitudes of his organisation, in my experience. Much like the Salvation Army, BeyondBlue’s assistance depends very much on being ‘worth the help’. *shrug*