Gary Burns

Who is Gary Burns?

Gary Burns is a noted Australian anti-discrimination campaigner who pursues anti-vilifiation litigation in the public interest. While most of Burns' work has concentrated on fighting discrimination against homosexuals, he distances himself from what he sees as a self-elected group of gay community spokespersons, which he refers to as "Gay Inc.".

Burns is perhaps best-known for successfully testing the homosexual vilification provisions of the NSW Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 with a complaint of personal homosexual vilification against broadcaster John Laws and Sydney radio station 2UE that concluded in his favour in 2002.

Burns went on to front public interest cases against numerous high profile figures and media establishments for unlawful homosexual vilification.

In 2009, Burns initiated action against Jeff Kennett, a former Premier of Victoria, then President of the Hawthorn Football Club, and Chair of the national depression initiative Beyondblue. Kennett made comments in 2008 which appeared to equate homosexuality with pedophilia in reference to the sacking of a bisexual sports trainer, Ken Campagnolo, by the Bonnie Doon Football Club.