Why is a WA council still booking Ben Cousins for community awards and youth events?
I saw the recent coverage of Ben Cousins’ Ballarat speaking event being cancelled after family violence workers raised concerns about giving him this kind of platform.
So I was pretty surprised to discover that here in WA, the Shire of Ashburton has booked Cousins to appear at its inaugural Excellence Awards across Tom Price, Paraburdoo, Onslow and Pannawonica in November.
These are council-run community awards recognising volunteers, sporting groups, coaches and community contributions, including an Inclusive Communities Champion of the Year.
He’s also being promoted for youth AFL sessions while he’s in the region.
Cousins was convicted of aggravated stalking of his former partner and repeatedly breaching a violence restraining order. At sentencing, the magistrate described what his former partner experienced as “nine months of terror”.
I absolutely believe people can recover from addiction and rebuild their lives. That isn’t the issue.
What I struggle with is how that recovery has become a paid inspirational story, while the harm done to his former partner risks becoming a footnote in that story.
And I particularly don’t understand why a local government would decide that he is an appropriate person to put on stage at community excellence awards, or in front of young people at council-promoted sporting events.
Ballarat’s event prompted family violence workers to publicly question exactly this kind of platform.
So why are we not having the same conversation in WA?
I’d genuinely like to know what others think, particularly anyone from the Pilbara. Has there been any local discussion about these events?