By Helena Adeloju
Disgraced former Labor candidate John Anderson has apologised for his abusive Twitter comments that have forced him to resign from a number of boards including Living Learning Pakenham and the Latrobe Regional Hospital.
Mr Anderson was outed as the troll behind an abusive left-wing Twitter account in a media report on Tuesday 5 April.
He has since expressed regret for his actions.
“I sincerely apologise for any comments I have made on social media that may have offended,” Mr Anderson said in a statement on Thursday 7 April.
He said he had resigned from the boards of numerous local organisation to ensure his actions did not reflect badly on them.
Mr Anderson also speculated that media reports calling attention to the tweets from 2011 “may have been politically motivated”.
The tweets that landed Anderson in hot water included attacks on Liberal politicians’ gender and sexuality, the comparison of a female writer to a “used condom” and sexualised remarks about grammar schoolboys.
Living Learning Pakenham was just one of the organisations which had had to go into damage control over the matter.
Living and Learning Pakenham CEO Miriam Cadwallader said she was “shocked by the revelations” and “in no way condones Mr Anderson’s behaviour or comments”.
“Living Learning Pakenham’s core values are mutual trust, respect, passion and compassion,” she said. “We will continue to welcome through our doors all people regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies.”
Mr Anderson was stripped of his most prestigious appointment on the board of Latrobe Regional Hospital on 5 April after State Health Minister Jill Hennessy asked him to resign.
Ms Hennessy, who appointed Mr Anderson to his role at the Traralgon-based hospital in 2015, said she called for Mr Anderson’s resignation as soon as she was made aware of the “offensive and distasteful” Twitter comments.
“Mr Anderson was asked to resign and he agreed to do so,” Ms Hennessy said.
She described the behaviour as “completely unacceptable”.
“These types of highly discriminatory comments don’t meet community expectations and they certainly don’t meet my expectations,” Ms Hennessy said.
Latrobe Regional Hospital, of which Mr Anderson was a Director, accepted his resignation immediately.
LRH Chair of Directors Kellie O’Callaghan said the news in relation to Mr Anderson was “deeply concerning” and voiced support for the steps Minister Hennessy had taken.
“The Minister has provided a clearly articulated response outlining her concerns and expectations in relation to this issue and it is one I fully and unreservedly support,” Ms O’Callaghan said.
AFL Gippsland, of which Mr Anderson was a commissioner for four years, also accepted Mr Anderson’s resignation after being alerted to a number of comments he made that “do not represent or reflect the values of a progressive community organisation”.
AFL Gippsland has been a strong advocate for gender equality and mental health support and distanced itself from Mr Anderson’s comments, which were posted via an anonymous Twitter account in 2011.
An AFL Gippsland statement said the organisation would continue to advocate for awareness and positive change within the community.
“AFL Gippsland is proud of its recent work in the areas of mental health, diversity and tolerance and violence against women and children,” the statement read.
Mr Anderson’s role with AFL Gippsland was just one of the many positions he held within the local and broader Gippsland community.
He stood as an ALP candidate for the 2002, 2006 and 2014 state elections, and was also a director of the West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority, Victorian Healthcare Association, and the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation until 5 April.
