Wake up, Jeff
“I’M not being racist when I say this, but ...”
Even the hardest Cro-Magnon heads among us know there is not much point continuing this sentence.
The fact that you’re saying you’re “not being racist but . . . ” is black and white proof that you are probably about to sound pretty jolly racist to the people you are about to criticise. This preface demonstrates that you are in dire need of some Behaviour Control.
But this was how Jeff Kennett spoke with Neil Mitchell on 3AW this week and, unfortunately for the former top dog of Beyond Blue, the Behaviour Control guys were not on hand to help him out of the car crash statement he was about to deliver.
If they had been close by they could have tapped him on the shoulder and quietly suggested to the former premier of Victoria that he reconsider what he was about to say in public. But without such guidance Kennett blundered into the second half of his subjective, misshapen, misunderstanding of what is happening in Marvel Stadium.
“I’m not being racist when I say this, but when I saw some of the footage, the people who are making judgments while they wear these authoritative coats, are not people who appear to have a great knowledge of our game.”
In 2019 this attitude is so bewildering it’s almost difficult to start to unpick.
Kennett was not there, but he’s “seen the footage”.
He did not hear the interactions. He has no idea of who said what and who was yelling what at who and yet Jeff is more than happy to take all this out of context information and create his own narrative about the people in the “authoritative coats”.
Mr Kennett literally told 3AW that the Behaviour Control guards were unable to understand their job and the culture of “our game” and his assessment is based on their appearance.
This is the definition of “unconscious bias” and in Victoria in the 21st century we call this kind of blanket prejudice (based on a person’s appearance) . . . “racist”.
To his credit, Neil Mitchell challenged Kennett’s stone-cold misunderstanding of multicultural Melbourne.
Jeff was quick to his own defence: “All I’m saying is the sporting arena is where people relax, where they support their tribe, and what is happening now is unacceptable.”
Jeff got one word right — “unacceptable”.
As a former premier, a former boss of Beyond Blue, a club president and a social and community leader, this spray was completely unacceptable.
Jeff is never short of finding a platform to express opinions. He has enjoyed a privileged life and this could come with a little extra care around the edges.
But his words on 3AW made it clear that Jeff’s objection to the Behaviour Control crew could have been tempered if the people in authority appeared to look more like Jeff and less like “new arrivals”. Yes . . . Imagine a team of old white guys with crewcuts wandering the stadium and making decisions about what behaviour is “OK” at “our game” and what is socially inappropriate. This is the version of life that Jeff understands to be normal behaviour.
This was the colour-coded world that shot him to power and enabled his behaviour in office. From shutting down schools to throwing sand at the media, Jeff is most comfortable in a world where white guys rule. They are not being policed by anybody other than themselves. Good Lord. This weekend Geelong had a bye.
AFL Barwon shared vision of GFC club captain Joel Selwood visiting the rooms of “the Dragons” and leading them through a pregame team bonding. It’s stirring stuff.
Meanwhile back at Marvel Stadium, the captain of Kennett’s Hawthorn (the family club) was reported for pinching and stomping his opponents.
His coach went on TV and said pinching was not a new offence. He’s right. Craig Kelly was one of the most famous exponents.
But it is no longer acceptable behaviour in the workplace that we call “modern football” and “stomping” has never been part of “our game”.
Perhaps Jeff and Clarko would be better off shutting up for a while and taking Ben Stratton aside for a brief discussion about standards of behaviour on and off the field. Club leaders define the culture. Supporters follow the standards promoted by the leadership group.
Jeff Kennett cannot present a solution to poor behaviour at the footy because his behaviour personifies the problem.