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6 months ago
27
A lawn mowing boss has accused Sky News host Peter Stefanovic of ruining a champion fisherman's moment of glory after dredging up his dark past on live TV.
Keegan Payne, 19, made headlines across Australia last Sunday after hooking a barramundi worth $1million in Katherine, 317km south of Darwin.
His prized catch was part of a nine-year Million Dollar Fish angling competition.
However, his celebrations were cut short during a harsh interview with Stefanovic on Wednesday morning.
The Sky News host asked point-blank if there was any truth to rumours Keegan had once stolen an off-road vehicle and a quad bike from his ex-employer Bob Cavanagh.
In a stunning admission, Keegan said the allegation was true - and offered a sincere apology to his old boss.
The segment sparked outrage among viewers who demanded Stefanovic resign with the backlash prompting the Sky News host to issue a grovelling apology.
Mr Cavanagh told Daily Mail Australia on Sunday Keegan deserved the apology and that he held no ill will towards the former Cav's Mowing employee.
Mr Payne’s old Bob Cavanagh from Cav’s Mowing in the Northern Territory – revealed19-year-old Keegan Payne deserved an apology from Sky news journalist Peter Stefanovic
Peter Stefanovic has reached out to Mr Payne and his family directly apologise for the harsh interview
‘He’s a good kid who made a mistake,’ Mr Cavanagh said.
‘What was meant to be a celebartory moment was stolen from him. I'm glad he [Stefanovic] apologised to Keegan, he deserved that apology.’
Mr Cavanagh, who now lives in Queensland, said like Keegan, Stefanovic has likley learnt a valuable lesson.
'We all, we all make mistakes and I bet he regrets it,' he said.
'The fact that he's come out and apologized to Keegan and his family, I think he's realized he's overstepped the mark.'
In the days following his million dollar win last week, Keegan reached out to his old boss and offered to pay him back for the stolen vehicles.
'Out of the blue this morning, his father rang me and said, "Keegan wants to repay you," and you could have knocked me down with a feather,' Mr Cavanagh said.
'He said Keegan has always felt so terrible for what he did.'
Mr Cavanagh explained the teen, who was just 15 at the time, apologised for what he and two others did to his property.
'We had some quite big contracts that we needed to look after and I asked him, how are we going to do that now?
'It was about showing the consequences [for what] they had done. Keegan felt terrible, you know.'
Keegan and his friend agreed to work for Mr Cavanagh on weekends to repay him for the damage they caused, but the plan fell through after two weekends due to a lull in business.
'He ended up being like a janitor at an aged-care home,' Mr Cavanagh said.
'I saw him eight to 12 months later and he still couldn't look at me, he was just so ashamed of what he'd done.'
The teenager has offered to repay his old boss Bob Cavanagh after stealing two vehicles from him
Shortly after the interview, social media users were left fuming at Stefanovic.
'Reporter hears good news. Does everything they can to dig up dirt and be negative,' one wrote.
'He made a mistake and took the fall out for it and was forgiven way before this win!!!!!' said another.
'S***ty reporting as usual another commented.
One Aussie asked why people couldn't 'be happy for this kid?'
'No ones perfect, but to shame him on tv? Talk about rip the carpet from beneath him! Stop kicking people back down when they move forward!
'Shows the mentality of dipsh*ts who like ruin other peoples happiness!'
Lawyer Jahan Kalantar - who regularly posts on legal issues to TikTok - said Stefanovic conducted a 'train wreck of an interview' and called him a 'smarmy news presenter' who asked Mr Payne about something he did as a child.
'Can you imagine any other community where you would bring up something that a child has done - which by the way is unlawful,' Mr Kalantar said in a video.
Yvonne Weldon, an Indigenous Sydney city councillor, said she was appalled by the interview.
'They invited him on to talk about his prize catch and then proceeded to put him on the stand for an adolescent misdemeanour,' she wrote on LinkedIn post.
'In doing so, they've shown no regard for his wellbeing and right to privacy.
Keegan Payne (pictured) won $1million was hooking a 67cm barramundi in a Northern Territory fishing competition
'Moreover, they have perpetuated a harmful and negative stereotype about Aboriginal young people.'
Sky News and Stefanovic were forced to issue an apology.
'On Wednesday 1 May 2024, Sky News Australia broadcast a live interview of Keegan Payne by Peter Stefanovic on First Edition,' the apology published on the Sky News website read.
'The interview concerned Mr Payne's win in the Northern Territory's Million Dollar Fish Competition.
'During the interview Mr Stefanovic asked Mr Payne questions about claims he had been involved in the theft of a Polaris Ranger and Polaris Quad from his former employer in 2021.
'Mr Payne confirmed the claims and apologised to his former employer on-air. Mr Payne's former employer subsequently told Sky News Australia that he did not proceed with police charges and had accepted Mr Payne's apology.
'Sky News Australia and Peter Stefanovic apologise to Mr Payne and his family for raising these claims during the live interview about his million dollar win in the fishing competition.
'Mr Stefanovic has reached out to Mr Payne and his family directly to convey his apology.'
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