Kenja rejects completely the slanderous attacks made upon it in the Mosman Daily Australia Day edition.

Far from being a "mysterious group", Kenja has operated openly and publically for over 30 years and has held Australia Day celebrations at Balmoral since 2006. Nobody has felt the need to "monitor" this public celebration.

The Mosman Daily has sought to re-kindle smears and prejudices which are 25 years old.

In 1992 Mr Stephen Mutch MP smeared Ken Dyers, the founder of the Kenja organisation, describing him as a "seedy conman" in the NSW parliament under parliamentary privilege.

Mr Mutch was subsequently completely discredited in court proceedings before a jury as having participated with others in a conspiracy to destroy the reputation of Mr Dyers and the Kenja organisation.

Mr Dyers was acquitted of all charges except one which was overturned on appeal in the High Court.

Later allegations made against Mr Dyers were not the subject of court proceedings as Mr Dyers took his own life at age 85 in poor health and unable to bear the strain of continuing to defend false claims by a few hostile former participants.

The Mosman Daily has shown no respect for the rule of law in smearing Ken Dyers and denying the consequences of the legal process which vindicated him – or for the presumption of innocence.

As Australians we respect the right of free speech and the rule of law. The press should not be used to advance a personal agenda and incite people against an organisation, as Mr Bendall has done by calling on people to "monitor" our Australia Day tribute.

It is shameful that the Mosman Daily and Mr Bendall have attacked on Australia Day, an Australian war veteran who served in North Africa and New Guinea as a young soldier in the Second World War.

We at Kenja will continue to undertake our community activities in the true Australian spirit of openness and fairness, and will not be cowed by bigotry and prejudice.

We wish all the Mosman community a happy Australia Day.
 

Issued by the Executive Committee, Kenja Communication
Australia Day
26 January 2017