AFL great Wayne Carey’s decision to threaten to sue Perth‘s Crown Casino for disability discrimination over the now-infamous ‘bag of white powder’ incident, has drawn both laughter and condemnation from prominent disability advocates.
The 51-year-old Kangaroos legend was kicked out of the casino last Thursday after a ziplock bag containing an unidentified white powder fell onto a gambling table from Carey’s pocket right in front of gamblers and staff.
He was escorted out of the venue by security and banned from all Crown venues for two years.
But Carey isn’t taking the situation lying down, employing Maurice Blackburn lawyers to ‘investigate a possible disability discrimination claim’.
Wayne Carey and partner Jessica Paulke. Carey has copped criticism following his decision to explore legal avenues for disability discrimination after being kicked out of the Crown Casino in Perth
It’s a decision that’s drawn the ire of many prominent disability advocates, including Carly Findlay, who has been awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for her services to people with a disability through advocacy.
Findlay wrote that she ‘looks forward to Wayne Carey’s career as a disability rights advocate’ on Twitter as she reacted to his decision to explore legal avenues.
Disability rights advocate Carly Findlay has slammed Carey’s decision
Findlay is an activist, writer and speaker who has been awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for her services to people with a disability through advocacy
The activist, writer and speaker, who has ichthyosis, a genetic disorder that affects her skin and hair, was even more scathing when asked about his reasoning for using a disabiliy defence.
‘It’s just so laughable what people will say to get out of a serious offence. I haven’t seen him advocate for disability rights prior to this,’ Findlay told News Corp.
‘When privileged white men … try and get out of bad behaviour it makes it harder for everyone.’
Wayne Carey (right, pictured at North Melbourne’s 1996 premiership reunion on August 7) was kicked out of Perth’s Crown Casino last Thursday
Her views were shared by many on social media as they blasted Carey’s ‘entitled’ behaviour.
‘Wayne Carey using people with an actual disability to try and clear his name shows he an narcissistic moron who at 51, has learnt nothing from his past ‘discretions’,’ wrote one commenter.
Union activist Raoul Wainwright also condemned Carey’s decision to explore whether he was discriminated against due to a disability.
‘No. This is the ultimate disrespect. This cheapens the reason the laws were established in the first place,’ he wrote on Twitter.
Josh Bornstein from Maurice Blackburn Lawyers is looking into the case on behalf of Carey.
Bornstein said his client was unceremoniously ejected under the ‘assumption that the bag contained an illegal drug’.
Kangaroos great Wayne Carey (right) with Essendon legend Matthew Lloyd
‘Mr Carey is prescribed anti-inflammatories and pain killing medicine to help manage the significant pain caused by debilitating football injuries – including a shoulder that needs replacing and a neck injury that requires three discs to be replaced,’ the lawyer said.
‘We are considering whether Crown Casino unlawfully discriminated against Mr Carey by excluding him from its premises as a result of a pre-existing disability.’
The last part of Bornstein’s statement, in particular, irked empowerment advocate John McKenna, who is living with a physical disability.
‘I’m a bit concerned when people use it to get out of situations. We need to respect what discrimination is … My understanding is he [Carey] hasn’t identified as a person with a disability before,’ he told the Herald Sun.
Wayne Carey has been stood down from his prominent AFL commentary roles over the incident
The incident has seen Carey stood down from his prominent commentary gigs with Channel 7 and Triple M.
The Kangaroos legend is adamant the mysterious substance is not illegal, despite admitting it ‘wasn’t a good look’.
‘It was not an illegal substance, it was offered to security. Security didn’t take it,’ Carey told The Age.
He has a well-known history with illegal drugs and has previously admitted to wild cocaine benders.
Wayne’s Carey’s mugshot after the star faced a Miami court charged with battery of a police officer when he was accused of assaulting his girlfriend in 2007
West Australian Police slammed the casino for its handling of the matter on Wednesday, and confirmed they are investigating the incident.
Commissioner Col Blanch said the investigation was already ‘on the back foot’ because the casino didn’t report it at the time, or confiscate the substance.
‘I can’t speak directly to the decisions made at the time that occurred, but if there was any suspicion by any person that there were drugs possessed or drugs obtained or was in the possession of authorities down at Crown, I would have expected a phone call to police to manage that matter,’ he told Perth radio station 6PR.
‘It will be very difficult without the substance itself to prove whether it was an illicit substance or otherwise.’
Wayne Carey lifts the 1996 AFL Premiership cup with Kangaroos coach Dennis Pagan
Carey is set to speak at length about the incident at a ‘Good Blokes Society’ event in Wagga Wagga on Thursday night.
The organisation claims to: ‘allow men to get together in an entertaining environment to enjoy themselves’.
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