MEDIA RELEASE
5 October 2007
For immediate release
Australian celebrities say no to violence against women
Australian television personality, Andrew O’Keefe, and Australian rugby league player, Daniel Wagon, arrived in Papua New Guinea this week to walk the Kokoda Track as part of a campaign to combat violence against women.
Mr O’Keefe, who hosts the Channel 7 game show Deal Or No Deal, and Mr Wagon, who plays for the Parramatta Eels, met the Australian High Commissioner, His Excellency Chris Moraitis, on Tuesday before heading off to walk the famous track.
The High Commissioner spoke about the Australian Government’s efforts to combat violence against women in PNG in partnership with the PNG Government and presented the two stars with awareness raising material to hand out during their trek.
Both Mr O’Keefe and Mr Wagon are taking part in the first ever White Ribbon NRL Kokoda Trek: an initiative to promote and raise funds for anti-violence education campaigns, particularly White Ribbon Day.
The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women - also known as White Ribbon Day - is marked on 25 November each year.
Mr O’Keefe said: “Many young Australians risked and lost their lives on Kokoda, and they did so to protect our freedom. But for many women living with domestic violence, there is no freedom.
“By participating in the White Ribbon NRL Kokoda Trek, we are retracing the footsteps of some of Australia's most tenacious diggers, and also doing our bit to end violence against women so that we can all live free from fear.”
Mr Moraitis said: “The Australian Government believes that violence against women is never acceptable. Every woman has the right to live and work in an environment free from abuse, violence and fear.”
The White Ribbon NRL Kokoda Trek was organised by Australian NGO, CEO Challenge, and trekking company Executive Excellence.
Numerous other trekkers joined Mr O’Keefe and Mr Wagon on the walk. The group will be returning to Port Moresby next Wednesday.
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