Karen from Bunnings: customer unmasked in Facebook video
Identity of woman who threatened to sue staff after refusing to wear mask at Bunnings revealed as police slam ‘selfish, childish’ anti-maskers.
The identity of the woman who refused to wear a mask inside a Victorian Bunnings and threatened to sue staff for discrimination has been revealed by her former employer.
iSelect released a statement saying the company was “appalled” by her behaviour and that she was no longer employed at the organisation.
“Kerry Nash has not worked for iSelect since December ‘18. We are appalled by #BunningsKaren’s refusal to wear a mask without a legitimate reason,” the statement read.
“We fully comply with COVID restrictions and any staff unable to WFH must wear a mask in our office, in accordance with the guidelines.”
On her LinkedIn profile, Ms Nash refers to herself as an iSelect senior sales consultant employed since 2012.
Kerry Nash has not worked for iSelect since Dec ’18. We are appalled by #BunningsKaren’s refusal to wear a mask without disclosing a legitimate reason. We fully comply with COVID restrictions & any staff unable to WFH must wear a mask in our office, in accordance with guidelines
— iSelect (@iselect) July 27, 2020
Media attempting to speak to her on Monday found a sign warning about trespassing at her property.
Bunnings stunt
A 3½-minute video was widely shared on social media at the weekend showing the woman walking into a southeast Melbourne store and being stopped immediately by a staff member and asked whether she had a mask.
“Well it’s clear I don’t, and you are not authorised to ask me or question me about it,” she says.
The store manager tells her she needs a medical certificate if she wants to continue into the store.
“I actually don’t need a medical certificate,” she says. “You’re discriminating against me.”
When another staff member tells her the mask is a condition of entry under strict government health orders, she lashes out.
“That’s discrimination and I can have you sued personally for discriminating against me as a woman,” she says.
“It’s an unlawful condition of entry, therefore, that exposes you, personally, and Bunnings to being sued for discrimination because it is in breach of the 1948 Charter of Human Rights to discriminate against men and women.”
Despite being asked several times to stop the filming, she refuses.
The video ends only when a second woman joins the one filming, having picked up an item from in store.
When asked whether that is all, the woman filming retorts with: “No, no, no — we’re going to have a wander.”
It comes after Victoria recorded its grimmest day on Monday: a record 532 new cases and another six deaths.
Police slam ‘selfish, childish’ ant-mask wearers
Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Rick Nugent slammed as “selfish” and “childish” the behaviour of people who have actively refused to wear face coverings in public, claiming it was a breach of their “human rights”.
Mr Nugent said police were aware of a number of incidents over the weekend where people deliberately breached the Chief Health Officer’s directions to wear a face covering when leaving home.
“Thankfully this selfish behaviour is an exception and the vast majority of people are doing the right thing to protect the health and safety of our community,” he said.
“However, the behaviour of those who blatantly choose to disregard the rules on the insistence their human rights being breached is alarming.
“Worse yet, it seems these people are more interested in notoriety and getting likes on social media than the health and wellbeing of their fellow Victorians.
“My message to anyone planning to break the rules is simple: no one has a human right to infect other people and place the entire Victoria community at risk.
“In fact, this type of behaviour is childish and is completely unacceptable when police are working incredibly hard to keep the community safe.”
Premier Daniel Andrews was equally scathing at his Monday morning press conference, frustration boiling over as he lashed out at conspiracy theorists sharing false information “
“standing in the car park of Bunnings reading whatever nonsense you have pulled up from some obscure website”.
Not about human rights – it’s about human life: Andrews
“Ultimately, I think people can judge for themselves the efficacy, the credibility of people who are running those sort of keyboard warrior campaigns,” he said.
“Seriously, one more comment about human rights – honestly. It is about human life.
“I apologise for letting my frustration get the better of me, but ultimately this is not about those issues and it is not about those people, frankly.
Unbelievable scenes. @DanielAndrewsMP just 100% destroying Karen from Brighton. pic.twitter.com/Tlk7Iku2r2
— Keegs (@keegs) July 18, 2020
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