In the latest in Ken Campagnolo’s battle with the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE), the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) has found in favour of the DSE.

Campagnolo claimed he had been a victim of sexual harassment and had failed to gain paid employment as a firefighter with the department because of his bisexuality.

He told the tribunal his manager, Chris Purcell, said: “You can fight the fires for free but you will never get a job with DSE because you are a poof.”
He also said he’d been given a Barbie Doll as a reference to his sexuality.

The DSE denied the allegations and blamed incompetence on Campagnolo’s behalf as the reason he had failed to gain employment.
Campagnolo told MCV the DSE claims are unfounded:

“Show me when this [incompetence] happened. When you are in the DSE you always have a team leader with you and if you fail the whole team fails, show me when this happened.

“They should throw their cards on the table and say what it is that made me incompetent.”

Although his case of sexual harassment has been struck out, a directions hearing regarding his case for discrimination will be heard today.

The Age reports that Judge Marilyn Harbison said Campagnolo “should not have represented himself and should have received better legal advice”.
Campagnolo has been unsuccessful in gathering witnesses for his case against the DSE and believes VCAT is going to summons witnesses on his behalf.

“VCAT are saying the DSE has a case to answer to,” he said. 

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