Kenja founder Ken Dyers — an accused paedophile — remembered on Australia Day in Mosman
CONTROVERSIAL spiritual group Kenja remembers its founder Ken Dyers, an accused child sex offender, on Australia Day at Balmoral Beach in Mosman.
Mosman
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MOSMAN Council’s deputy mayor fears that a mysterious group founded by an accused child sex offender might be using its Australia Day celebrations at Balmoral as a recruitment drive.
Kenja Communication has booked the Balmoral site with Mosman Council every Australia Day since 2006 for its re-enactment of the landing of the First Fleet in 1788.
Its website states that last year’s re-enactment was: “a fun-filled event enjoyed by families and many people.”
The event involves 50 to 100 people and Kenja paid the council the $400 corporate event rate for its booking.
Councillor Roy Bendall said he had no problem with the Australia Day event itself, which he had seen, but said Mosman residents should be aware of the “dubious history” of Kenja.
“I call on the community to help monitor the situation to help make sure they are not running this as a recruitment drive for their group,” he said.
“It is of a concern if they are using Australia Day to promote their own interests.
“The pageantry might be entertaining, but you just have to realise who is putting it on.”
Kenja’s 2017 media release states: “All of these celebrations on this day honour one of the (founders) of Kenja Communication — Ken Dyers — an 85-year-old war Second World War veteran who tragically passed away in 2007.”
Dyers was charged with 11 child sex offences in 1993 and was found guilty of one count of indecency.
He successfully appealed that decision in 2002 and the Crown decided against a third trial.
Dyers was then charged with 22 child sex offences in 2005.
He was due to stand trial in 2007 but was deemed unfit and a mental health assessment ordered. Dyers committed suicide after new allegations arose.
Kenja also made the news in 2005 when it was linked to the case of Cornelia Rau, who was wrongly imprisoned as a suspected illegal immigrant.
She had become involved with the group in 1998.
The Mosman Daily asked Kenja for a response to Cr Bendall’s concerns and was referred to the Kenja website.
The site states that Kenja is not a religious group or cult.
Mosman Council’s spokeswoman said Kenja had booked the event at the southern end of Balmoral Reserve in accordance with the council’s relevant conditions.
The conditions state that bookings are essential for outdoor areas for organised events of more than 50 people and a fee applies to cover reserve maintenance.
Conditions for using the council’s reserves include rubbish removal and noise restrictions.
CONTROVERSIAL HISTORY
KEN Dyers, a former Scientologist, co-founded the spiritual “training facility” in 1982.
Kenja says its training “views self-determinism as an imperative for personal growth.”
Kenja believes the series of child sex charges against Dyers was part of an attack by “spurious anti-cult groups,” although Kenja says it is not a cult.
Then NSW politician Stephen Mutch criticised Kenja in the 1990s when he used Parliamentary Privilege in the Legislative Council to reveal numerous complaints about Kenja’s personal development course.
He described Kenja as a “destructive cult” and Dyers as a “seedy conman”.
He told Parliament the organisation “utilises dangerous and covert hypnotic induction techniques to exert mind control for unscrupulous purposes over recruits”.
He added that recruits became “virtual slaves, involuntary giving their minds and incomes to Kenja”.
Dr Mutch interviewed girls who alleged that Dyers had sexually assaulted them, which resulted in police charging Dyers.
Dr Mutch became a witness in the proceedings
Kenja staged a “theatre documentary” after Dyers’ death, to illustrate the group’s belief that Dyers was the victim of a witch hunt.
Kenja said it presented the true story.
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