David Campbell, pictured, used to be the Lord Mayor of the city I grew up in and until today was more recently the Transport Minister of NSW. A local news station aired footage last Thursday of Mr Campbell coming out of the gay sex-on-premises venue that I visit occasionally. Nothing wrong with that you might say apart from the fact that he has a wife and children and holds a position of public office. Hardly a first I must admit but I imagine his wife and children are devastated about now.
I had actually seen Mr Campbell at the venue many years ago but had totally forgotten about the incident until I heard this news today. What is it with politicians and a complete lack of discretion? So many politicians, including those publicly spouting anti-gay sentiments, seem to be getting busted lately. Fingers crossed Mr Campbell can lead a more honest life now that his secret is out. Read a full article here.
His wife is also battling cancer. This is nothing more
than a piece of gutter journalism from Channel 7 and would have been best not broadcast.
Hey Brenton,
This seems to be quite the situation state-side too. It seems like lately every scandal here involves a conservative Republican and gay sex. As a matter of fact one comedian was joking about a Republican who was caught having an affair and the comedian joked the Repbulicans were relieved to learn it was with a woman….
I just emailed this to you and here it is posted on your blog! It is just a sad story. It sounds to me like this fellow really needs a kick in the pants to get his life back on track. It doesn’t sound like he was being effective at his job, he was not in touch with his sexuality, and his wife is quite ill. Time to refocus, I’d say. Now he’ll have the time to do that. Best of luck Mr. Minister.
For some reason I find the comments you have made about this to be – well – absolutely bloody ridiculous. On one hand you continually push the need for tolerance and then, when someone gets ‘caught’ (as you put it) you are all over him like fllies on a turd.
So what if he has been frequenting a ‘sex-on-premises’ joint? Does this make him sleezy, corrupt or what? Extend this and the same labels should be thrown at ANYONE who uses that venue – yep, including yourself.
Brenton – you just lost a whole lot of any respect I had for you in this one diatribe you posted.
Hey Brenton….. sadly, i must agree with Mark,except perhaps the way he expresssed it………..this is NOT a story, but a piece of salacious muckracking by the media………….and would have best been left alone by You………The man’s private life and arrangements are JUST THAT………and should be respected…..the real story is BY WHO and WHY does this “Story” exist……His ministerial work is open slather for critisism, as is any history of homophobic policy voting that he may or may not have been party to……….otherwise, i think you should have kept mum, especially the bit about you having seen him there also………SO WHAT!
I know, I myself, add to the muck by writing this,but do so in the spirit that PRIVACY MUST BE RESPECED, it was NOT this time, but in future , you and hopefully also your readers should/would and will think twice, before being party to damaging someones entire life.
Does the fact that he’s gay make him a less effective politician ?
Has the fact of the duality of his private life affected his ability to function as a Minister in the State Government ?
Yes, it probably has and it left him wide open to factional manipulation as his “secret” was known to others who could have (and may have) used it to advantage.
He’s had to remain “closeted” so that he isn’t an electoral liability.
The sooner that the word “gay” is made politically acceptable the better – this is the 21st Century and its time……
Did he have to remain ‘closeted’? No he didn’t.
And to suggest being gay would make him a political liability is suggesting that the entire population is stupid. Yes, some people wouldn;t vote for him if he were gay; he may even get shunned by his fellow politiciens as well. So what?
You say this is the 21st Century – hiding because of these ‘reasons’ means we may as well implement all of the 19th century rules and ideas as well.
Give the public more sense than to think this way.
The dreadful part about this – and Mark you missed it – is that he has a WIFE battling CANCER whilst he runs off to a sauna to fuck Asian lads.
I mean he should with his WIFE irregardless of whether they are intimate anymore or NOT. She is ILL. And he is running around with guys at a sauna.
His priority should NOT be his cock – it should be his partner who is ill.
THIS is why this guy is a douche.
Reading Brenton’s post; I don’t see any criticism of a person attending a sex venue, or that attendance reflects upon their character. This guy however, a well known public figure, used a ministerial car which loudly broadcasting his presence to any outsiders, or journalists. His lack of discretion has led to others being hurt; on his income he could have been discrete and found other means of “release” if it was so necessary. And frankly, whilst sexuality has nothing to do with honesty and capability, if a person is willing to lie to those he professes to love and care for I wouldn’t trust them in a position of public office.
I have to agree with Mark and Ulo, your comment seemed a bit harsh. Also, as I read your comment I felt that you also implied that he publicly spouted anti-gay sentiments. I don’t think there is any evidence of this (correct me if I’m wrong).
On a lighter note, I too was brought up in Wollongong and recently moved back after a 30 year absence and I think there must be something in the water here, in the last few decades we have had three closeted homosexuals as Lord Mayors (Beven, Arkell and now Campbell)!
I’m with Damien. Cheating is cheating whether it be with another woman, a man, Lady Gaga, a sheep etc. The guy is a piece of crap for taking care of himself rather than his wife (cancer or no – she still deserves his loyalty and commitment).
Let he who is without sin cast the first stone . . .
I’ve thought a lot about this since you posted it. IF the guy has been a leader of the anti-gay movement or has voted to deprive gay persons of equal rights, then he is a first-class hypocrite who deserves whatever criticism he gets. There was a real “family values” state legislator in California recently who was picked up for a DUI after leaving a gay bar in Sacramento. And the Focus on the Family founder’s “Rentboy.com” scandal is too delicious for words.
BUT, this guy — in his mid-50s apparently — seems to have married young, at a time when it was impossible to be “out” and in politics. For any number of reasons he may have felt unable or unwilling to flush his family down the tubes and instead tried to make some accommodation between his sexuality and the rest of his life. I think you should cut him some slack. I’m sure there was a fair amount of torment in his life, between the life he lived publicly and his sexuality. Younger gays need to be sympathetic and tolerant of the compromises that the previous generation felt compelled to make.
HERE! HERE! DAVID.