Documents and media releases relating to the shunning and discrimination of a special needs child by Jehovah’s Witnesses in relation to the Melbourne International Convention, 17-19 October 2014
The following documents and press release were received by JW Leaks in relation to the Jehovah’s Witnesses International Convention at Etihad Stadium, Melbourne, Australia. It is understood that due to last minute information in relation to the administration and control of the first aid health services at the convention the following press documents had not been released to the media.
Prior to publishing and releasing the following sensitive information, the members of the team at JW Leaks made formal inquiries with the Victorian Workcover Authority (VWA) and the administrators of Etihad Stadium (Melbourne Stadiums Limited) as to whether measures have been put in place to prevent the Jehovah’s Witnesses and Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Australia from operating any first aid health services and First Aid Department in alleged breach of applicable health and safety laws.
We were assured that the Jehovah’s Witnesses will no longer have control of the First Aid management at the event but that St John Ambulance first aid officers “will be on site for each of the three days”. It is our understanding that this was done for the purpose of protecting the health and safety of all 70,000 daily patrons and delegates attending the convention. No mention was made of who is providing the mandatory first aid health services to the hundreds of employees and volunteers at the workplace during the setup and dismantling of the convention. We have no information in relation as to what as happened to the hundreds of members of Jehovah’s Witnesses who volunteered or listed their names to volunteer as staff for the First Aid Department at this convention.
http://jwleaks.org/2014/10/16/child-shunned-by-jehovahs-witnesses-convention-melbourne-australia/
MEDIA ALERT
16 October 2014
Child Shunned by Jehovah’s Witnesses Convention at Etihad Stadium
Melbourne, Australia
While over 70,000 people attend the Jehovah’s Witnesses International Convention at Etihad Stadium this weekend, 17-19 October, one child will not be attending.
A special needs child has been prevented from attending the religious event by the refusal of the Jehovah’s Witnesses and their administrative corporation, Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Australia, to accommodate any potential emergency health needs of the child.
Allegations have been made that the child has been discriminated against on the basis of her emergency medical needs. Despite efforts by Melbourne Stadiums Limited (MSL) the operators of Etihad Stadium, the Jehovah’s Witness event organisers refused to help the child attend.
The father plans to lodge a discrimination complaint with the Human Rights Commissioner on behalf of his daughter against the organisers of the Jehovah’s Witnesses International Convention at Etihad Stadium. “If I can’t find a lawyer to represent my little girl in this complaint then I will lodge it myself,” the father said, adding, “children should not be discriminated against because of their disabilities or medical needs.”
In a letter issued this week to the managers of Etihad Stadium, MSL, the father of the six-year-old child thanked the stadium administrators for their help over the past six months in trying to assist in attending the event. In his letter the father stated:
“Part of the medical management plan for our daughter is for us to register her condition with the first aid department at any large event we attend. This includes giving the first aid officers a copy of our details, our daughter’s medical condition and history, and the medical emergency management system in place in the event she does suddenly collapse and needs emergency treatment.”
The child and her family’s attendance at the event hit a hurdle when the Jehovah’s Witnesses and Watchtower Society informed the father that they do not provide any health services in the State of Victoria and therefore cannot accept any health information.
