George Taylor, former president of the Cabra-Vale Ex-Active Servicemen’s Club Ltd, was banned from the club industry for five years and ordered to pay costs of $6,745 for inappropriately touching a female employee in 2019.
The Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority handed down its final decision, deeming Mr Taylor’s conduct a breach of the Registered Clubs Act 1976 (NSW) on the grounds he is not a ‘fit and proper person’ to be on the club’s governing body.
The incident was captured on CCTV and showed Mr Taylor, then aged 78, putting his arm around the young employee’s shoulder, touching her back and arm and striking her buttocks.
Chair of the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority, Philip Crawford, said Mr Taylor knew very well his conduct was wrong as he had previous training in discrimination, harassment and bullying prevention.
“It is expected that a person in his position would have the ability to lead by example and model appropriate workplace conduct,” Mr Crawford said.
“This is the third time the club has been the subject of disciplinary action for sexual harassment and in the two previous cases, involving elderly male club directors, Mr Taylor, also a director, was privy to the matters.”
One complaint in 2014 involved the then-secretary’s distribution of extreme pornography depicting bestiality and necrophilia as well as racist material to several staff members; the second in 2016 was made after the then-president indecently assaulted a junior female staff member.
Along with having to pay the costs of ILGA’s investigation, both men were banned from the club industry for three years.
After the first sexual harassment case ILGA ordered all club directors and employees to take annual training on appropriate workplace conduct.
“This incident unfolded notwithstanding the club’s problematic history of inappropriate conduct and, disappointingly, after specific, mandated training to address these very matters.
“Sexual harassment is completely unacceptable behaviour and should not be tolerated in any workplace, nor should patterns of behaviour be allowed to infuse into the culture of a workplace.
“The Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority’s decision demonstrates our role in protecting the public and club members through the maintenance of standards laid down in the Act.”
