Baby Blues
Kennel Enthusiast
- Joined
- Aug 8, 2005
- Messages
- 4,295
- Reaction score
- 2,807
NRL head of football Todd Greenberg was advised to maintain strict confidentiality over any allegations of domestic violence against Ben Barba after contacting a counselling service on behalf of the Canterbury star's partner Ainslie Currie.
Fairfax Media has been told that Greenberg, who was then the Bulldogs CEO, wanted to ensure Currie received support while Barba was undergoing treatment at a north shore rehabilitation clinic and obtained advice from a domestic violence advocacy service at The Downing Centre.
Victims of Crime Assistance League vice-president Howard Brown said Greenberg and other Bulldogs officials, including coach Des Hasler, deserved praise for the way they had dealt with the situation after Currie approached them on February 24 with concerns about Barba's welfare.
''I just wish that all sports administrators would avail themselves to those services because it reduces the instances of domestic violence and Todd Greenberg was obviously smart enough to make those calls to get that information because he didn't want Barba's partner to be making poor decisions,'' Brown said.
Advertisement
The news comes as Currie's lawyer, Campbell MacCallum, said she would not front an independent inquiry into whether any alleged violence concerns were kept from the NRL before a photo of her with a bleeding lip was published last Sunday.
''Due to the ongoing stress upon herself and the delay it's causing to the positive resolution of her's and Ben's relationship, she will decline the offer,'' MacCallum said.
''Once again, she does understand it would be a different situation altogether if she was not satisfied initially with how the issue was handled. However, she advises she was satisfied and she wants closure with the issue.''
If Greenberg is found to have kept back details of why the Dogs suspended Barba at the start of the season, it his believed he could face the sack just six weeks after starting in his new role as one of the NRL's senior officials.
If he did so, he may have breached an edict issued after South Sydney failed to advise the league of a possible incident involving Ben Te'o requiring clubs to report every case to the integrity unit, which was formed in early February. However, Brown said Greenberg had not been in a position to tell NRL boss Dave Smith or anyone else what had happened after being advised to keep the allegations confidential.
''He sought advice from the domestic violence assistance line and they actually referred him onto a service because it is my understanding that she wasn't in Sydney at the time,'' Brown said. ''She said I don't want this to go any further but he said I have to ensure that you are safe and I thought that was particularly admirable.
''But she didn't want a big deal about it and there is a bit of free legal advice that also comes through these domestic violence advocacy services and he was told you have to be very careful about confidentiality because it is one of the things we pride ourselves on. That was the advice that was provided, that he had to maintain her confidentiality, and it seems to me that he is being pilloried for that now when we would actually applaud him.''
Greenberg has also received support from District Court Judge Paul Conlon, who said he had been well acquainted with victims rights in his previous role as NSW deputy crown prosecutor.
Conlon, who is the NRL judiciary chairman, told Fairfax Media that the way the Bulldogs had handled the Barba situation was ''exemplary'' and said the NRL did not need to know his personal problems.
''Any victim would be grateful and extremely appreciative of having their concerns addressed in the prompt and comprehensive fashion as appears to have been the case in respect of Ben Barba,'' Conlon said in an email.
''It has been reported that he suffered from gambling, alcohol and anger management issues and depression. Whilst immediately addressing those problems once brought to the attention of the CEO, what was done thereafter was apparently also responsive to the victim's needs.
''Consequently, I find it extraordinary that any criticism should be aimed at the CEO on the basis that there was some obligation on him to breach the confidentiality of the victim by disclosing whatever was said to the NRL body. If he disregarded the victim's rights by breaching her confidentiality, then by all means he could be criticised.''
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...s-greenberg-20130906-2tam1.html#ixzz2fo6nBeeK
Fairfax Media has been told that Greenberg, who was then the Bulldogs CEO, wanted to ensure Currie received support while Barba was undergoing treatment at a north shore rehabilitation clinic and obtained advice from a domestic violence advocacy service at The Downing Centre.
Victims of Crime Assistance League vice-president Howard Brown said Greenberg and other Bulldogs officials, including coach Des Hasler, deserved praise for the way they had dealt with the situation after Currie approached them on February 24 with concerns about Barba's welfare.
''I just wish that all sports administrators would avail themselves to those services because it reduces the instances of domestic violence and Todd Greenberg was obviously smart enough to make those calls to get that information because he didn't want Barba's partner to be making poor decisions,'' Brown said.
Advertisement
The news comes as Currie's lawyer, Campbell MacCallum, said she would not front an independent inquiry into whether any alleged violence concerns were kept from the NRL before a photo of her with a bleeding lip was published last Sunday.
''Due to the ongoing stress upon herself and the delay it's causing to the positive resolution of her's and Ben's relationship, she will decline the offer,'' MacCallum said.
''Once again, she does understand it would be a different situation altogether if she was not satisfied initially with how the issue was handled. However, she advises she was satisfied and she wants closure with the issue.''
If Greenberg is found to have kept back details of why the Dogs suspended Barba at the start of the season, it his believed he could face the sack just six weeks after starting in his new role as one of the NRL's senior officials.
If he did so, he may have breached an edict issued after South Sydney failed to advise the league of a possible incident involving Ben Te'o requiring clubs to report every case to the integrity unit, which was formed in early February. However, Brown said Greenberg had not been in a position to tell NRL boss Dave Smith or anyone else what had happened after being advised to keep the allegations confidential.
''He sought advice from the domestic violence assistance line and they actually referred him onto a service because it is my understanding that she wasn't in Sydney at the time,'' Brown said. ''She said I don't want this to go any further but he said I have to ensure that you are safe and I thought that was particularly admirable.
''But she didn't want a big deal about it and there is a bit of free legal advice that also comes through these domestic violence advocacy services and he was told you have to be very careful about confidentiality because it is one of the things we pride ourselves on. That was the advice that was provided, that he had to maintain her confidentiality, and it seems to me that he is being pilloried for that now when we would actually applaud him.''
Greenberg has also received support from District Court Judge Paul Conlon, who said he had been well acquainted with victims rights in his previous role as NSW deputy crown prosecutor.
Conlon, who is the NRL judiciary chairman, told Fairfax Media that the way the Bulldogs had handled the Barba situation was ''exemplary'' and said the NRL did not need to know his personal problems.
''Any victim would be grateful and extremely appreciative of having their concerns addressed in the prompt and comprehensive fashion as appears to have been the case in respect of Ben Barba,'' Conlon said in an email.
''It has been reported that he suffered from gambling, alcohol and anger management issues and depression. Whilst immediately addressing those problems once brought to the attention of the CEO, what was done thereafter was apparently also responsive to the victim's needs.
''Consequently, I find it extraordinary that any criticism should be aimed at the CEO on the basis that there was some obligation on him to breach the confidentiality of the victim by disclosing whatever was said to the NRL body. If he disregarded the victim's rights by breaching her confidentiality, then by all means he could be criticised.''
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...s-greenberg-20130906-2tam1.html#ixzz2fo6nBeeK
