JEFF KENNETT, JOHN SEARLE, BOTH WELL PAST THEIR USE-BY DATES - TIME TO RETIRE, EVEN IF NOT GRACEFULLY!!!!

Jeff Kennett has disgraced himself yet again with his beyondblue stories and his interview with David McCarthy at Joy Radio concerning Kennett's comments about gay families and the previous ones about paedophilia and homosexuality.

McCarthy's attempts to whitewash Kennett were also a disgrace and do Joy Radio no credit for hosting such a discussion.

Kennett ruined Victoria in the days when he was premier and he has done nothing since to alter the community's opinions about him. He closed hospitals, schools, railways, and performed all sorts of other disservices to the state and the country which caused the depressions and suicides which beyondblue is supposed to assist.

Gays, lesbians, transgenders, HIVs (GLTH) were never part of beyondblue's briefs as a previous CEO, Leonie Young, demonstrated when tasked with providing service modules for GLTH communities who might have had depression or suicidal ideation problems. Kennett's relationship with the organisation only aggravated an already troubled situation.

The other relic of a bygone day, another homophobe who is supposedly making overtures to the GLTH communities, has failed at the first hurdle. John Searle seems unable to establish any sort of contact or working relationship with Aleph, the Jewish Gay group, and there seems to be no evidence that Searle has any relationship with the Jewish Lesbian Group of Victoria either. So where does this leave him, with his "anonymous" GLTH "Reference Group" which is supposed to be responding to the submissions received at JCCV's request in August, for which it received "about six submissions"

How do you receive "about six"??? You either receive 4, or 5, or 6, or more!! But not Searle!!

Is it not time that GLTH members of our communities who happen to be Jewish or who happen to need assistance with depression or suicidal intentions found organisations which willingly provide assistance without any discriminatory problems such as those associated with organisations such as beyonblue and Jewish Community Council of Victoria (sic)?

beyondblue LAUNCHES A MEN'S SHED ONLINE - JUST MAKE SURE YOU AREN'T GAY, TRANSGENDER OR A PERSON WITH HIV/AIDS!

Centrelink's editor, Hank Jongen, forgets that many gay seniors receive this News for Seniors magazine from Centrelink and that maybe, just maybe, they are aware of Jeff Kennett's and beyondblue's ongoing homophobia, and maybe, just maybe, many of these gay seniors have been driven to depression and suicide ideation because of what the federal government and Centrelink perpetrated by not allowing a grandfather clause when the 85 pieces of legislation were amended and came into effect on 1 July 2009, causing untold harm to hundreds, possibly thousands of gay age pensioners.

beyndblue was not exactly going to assist them with their problems, so who do you turn to?

Men's sheds for gay men? Not if Jeff Kennett and beyondblue can help it!!

beyondblue launches a Men's Shed ONLINE

From an online search engine and Centrelink's News for Seniors, issue 84 2011

The Shed Online is a new website that aims to replicate in the online space, all the positive things men get from being in their own sheds or in a community Men's Shed.

beyondblue Chairman, The Hon. Jeff Kennett AC, says the inspiration for The Shed Online comes from the 400 Men's Sheds which are thriving Australia-wide.

"In those sheds, in towns across the country, men can get together, work on projects shoulder to shoulder, learn new skills and if they feel comfortable, they can talk to one another about light-hearted or more serious issues," Mr Kennett says.

"We want to give men who don't have a local Men's Shed the opportunity to be part of a community, to socialise, make new friends and maybe, work on a project together. The Shed Online will tick all those boxes, but instead of it happening in a real shed, it will happen in a virtual shed, over the internet."

Patron of the Australian Men's Shed Association (AMSA) and Australia's "First Bloke, Tim Mathieson, encourages all men to get involved.

"Even if you're a bit shy at first, you'll be able to chat to mates, get information about a whole range of topics including health, learn about DIY projects and hopefully, eventually, you'll feel like you belong to this community or club... and it doesn't matter where you live," he says.

"Joining up and joining in is easy - and it's free. You go to www.theshedonline.org.au and register to become a member and then you can participate in the discussion forums."

Mr Kennett: "We know that being isolated and feeling lonely may contribute to depression and that untreated depression is a risk factor for suicide, especially in men. We also know that men are reluctant to seek help for both physical and mental health problems.

"In The Shed Online, there'll be easy-to-access health information that men otherwise may not come across. We've been working with the Australian Men's Shed Association for several years to deliver information about depression to men - and it's been a very successful partnership."

The Shed Online is a joint project of beyondblue and the Australian Men's Shed Association, and is funded by The Movember Foundation.

Visit www.theshedonline.org.au - the more blokes who join, the bigger the shed!