Did the late Vice Principal of Taroona High School, Kenneth (Ken) Haines, sexually abuse the troubled boys that he took under his wing while working at the school?
This question has always plagued me, since the day in 1984 when the Vice Principal unexpectedly killed himself near Queenborough Oval in Sandy Bay.
Teachers at the school said nothing about the reasons behind the suicide but, according to older students, it followed an allegation of sexual abuse made by a troubled boy who Haines had “assisted” by allowing the boy to stay at his home, and purchasing a panel van for him.
Haines certainly fits the model of so many abusers – he worked directly with children and turned down any promotion that may have taken him away from those kids, thus remaining Vice Principal of Taroona High School for more than 18 years. He took it upon himself to oversee the boy’s table tennis club, and to assist “troubled youth”, although many would question why those who were “troubled” were always boys, why his assistance often led to the boys staying at his home, and why he felt the need to shower them with gifts, including the panel van.
In 1979 Haines’ was officially rewarded for his work through an Order of Australia medal, awarded “for services to education and youth”.
With the Royal Commission into institutional child sexual abuse now taking evidence in Hobart about abuses alleged to have occurred at several other schools in Hobart, now is the time to come forward if you know anything about the behaviour of Mr Kenneth Haines of Taroona High School.
Anyone with any information about the behaviour of Ken Haines should contact the Royal Commission on 1800 650 707 or via their website at http://royalcommission.com.au/contact/?gclid=COKDu9fKhcICFcWWvQodlxUAbQ
All information will be investigated and treated with the utmost confidentiality.
Anyone affected by this article should contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
*Anonymous is known to the Editor
• Richard Atkinson, in Comments: Just note that the url in the article is an ‘unofficial’ link to a lawyers’ website. The official Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse link is: http://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/share-your-story
Richard Atkinson
November 19, 2014 at 13:24
Just note that the url in the article is an ‘unofficial’ link to a lawyers’ website. The official Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse link is:
http://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/share-your-story
Eagle eye
November 19, 2014 at 18:21
I note that yesterday the ABC mentioned that one of the victims had informed Michael Hodgman (deceased) of his abuse and that Hodgman had taken the matter to the school board where it was buried.
I also note that, today, that aspect of the story has vanished.
Am I alone in wonders why “the mouth from the south” did not pursue the young mans matter with otherwise customary zeal?
Too many toes to be trodden on perhaps? Toes connected to arses that needed to be kissed?
This cowardly behavior by the media is the reason this abuse exists in the first place.
truth be told
November 20, 2014 at 09:43
The truth needs to come out. If it was told to Hodgeman way back then. …. It is VERY concerning that it was ‘buried’
Megan Tatham
November 20, 2014 at 12:28
Luckily the information is out now and has been republished in mainland sources.
Deeply concerning the information would disappear and does raise concerning questions about whether nepotism has a role to play.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/sick-of-pedophiles-teacher-quit/story-fnjj6013-1227130065782
Jan Dallas
November 20, 2014 at 13:15
Fascinating. Ken Haines was the bane of my existence at Taroona High; not that he ever tried to abuse me or any of my friends, as far as I’m aware, though everyone knew he was obviously a homosexual, but we all thought that he was unaware of the fact himself. I once had an impromptu lecture from him, (to the whole class), to the effect that “See this arm? You’ll never find a woman on this arm”, etc. in response to finding me sitting next to a girl friend of mine. (Not a “girlfriend”). He once banned fraternisation between the sexes where everyone used to hang, in the main assembly area. What? We ignored it.He once took me to a hairdresser, after school hours, to ensure that I got “a proper haircut”. My hair was shoulder-length at the time. I have many stories of “Grinner”, his nickname, which would make your hair curl, although nothing damning as such. A sad, sad man.
Karl Stevens
November 20, 2014 at 13:22
It’s obvious the late Michael Hodgman would have had no concerns about alleged sexual abuse at Hutchins School because he sent his son Will to Hutchins in 1980.
Premier Will Hodgman must also have complete faith in the Hutchins School board because he sent his children to the same school.
Pilko
November 20, 2014 at 14:30
“He said the (Hutchins) school’s old boy network would have destroyed his career if he had gone public…”
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-21/former-bishop-may-have-failed-to-persuade-school-to-apologise/5908398?section=tas
Good ol’ Hutchins school. Pillars of society. Good ol’ God.
And as the Hutchins paedophile conspiracy is exposed by the Royal Commission, meanwhile down at Parliament house where they pay their respects to God before sitting, silver-tail Premier Will Hodgman is working to strip Tasmania’s corruption watchdog of its investigative powers.
Why? There is no corruption in Tasmania. No conspiracies, cover ups or skeletons in the closet. Nothing to see here. Meanwhile in NSW where they have an ICAC…..meanwhile back at the Royal Commission…
The Pillars of society – trust them.
Simon Warriner
November 20, 2014 at 19:47
Well said, Pilko.
Angry of West Hobart
November 20, 2014 at 20:51
When I was young, my dad warned me not to play in the bushland at the end of Lambert Avenue because there was a dirty old man who lived down there. Little did I know that dirty old man was the Vice Principal at my high school. A man held up as a pillar of society, a mason and recipient of an Order of Australia. I was lucky, he threatened to expel me and that was all the excuse I needed to get out of Taroona High. For my best mate he tore up his reference and now many years later another friend of mine has attempted to take his life numerous times because of what Grinner did to him. Worse still, is those who were in power knew what was going on and did nothing about it. They are still alive and I still remember them telling me what a discourteous young man I was to suggest that Grinner was dodgy. Shame, shame, shame.
Anonymous
November 21, 2014 at 02:01
#9 to Angry of West Hobart
Please talk about Ken Haines to the Royal Commission – I already have.
If you can, please also ask your friend to speak to them, and anyone else who you think might have been something to say.
If your friend can’t speak to them, speak on his behalf.
Please.
http://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/share-your-story
Rohan
November 21, 2014 at 09:44
Hi Angry from West Hobart. Thank you for you comments. I was at the school from 82 to 84 and heard vague rumours but could never get anyone to tell me anything concrete. My personal impression was that he was someone to be avoided. You and your friend would have the support of many ex students if you gave your information to the commission.
Rob
November 21, 2014 at 12:57
To Angry, I have also called the commission recently regarding Ken Haines. They told me they don’t do enquiries unless an actual victim comes forward. Hope you can get your mate to call them. Its been far too long already and that admin at Taroona High should be held accountable.
Pilko
November 21, 2014 at 20:04
Hutchins refused to apologise to its paedophilia victims until the Royal Commission came to Tasmania & smacked it between the eyes. This fact shows us that even in the year 2014 the Hutchins school was still a long, long way short on where it should be on this issue. Hutchins appalling attitude & heartlessness towards is victims is perhaps even more sickening than similar treatment meted out to asbestos victims by corporate giant James Hardie.
Hutchins school has attracted students from all over that state & internationally. It is arguably the states top school, a breeding ground for future civic & business leaders.
Now is the time for Hutchins to forget about its own reputation & show the community it has the welfare of its victims at heart. It must do that.
Anything less than a media conference & an unqualified apology to its victims & the wider community – whose trust has been breached, would be insufficient.
Our political leaders, some of them Hutchins old boys should strongly urge the school in this direction. Nothing less should suffice for the Hutchins school, nor as a community should we accept anything less. It is difficult to over-state the seriousness of the breach of public trust when a school abuses the children the community has entrusted to its care. Time to take a leaf out of the scriptures Hutchins school, kneel before the Tasmanian community & beg for its forgiveness. The school can never be seen to be properly rehabilitated, regaining the trust & respect of the Tasmanian community without beginning with a proper apology.
Barbara Mitchell
November 23, 2014 at 13:45
As a woman, and a mother of sons, I find it unspeakably abhorrent that some adult men make it their business to sexually exploit young boys. But it happens. Even more distressing is the capacity of other men, who are not so inclined, to turn a blind eye to such activities, or even deliberately cover them up.
In what sane, civilised universe is the reputation of a school of more value than the emotional and physical health of the children in that school’s care?
The only proper course of action for any school faced with public revelations of historical abuse of students is to issue an unconditional, equally public, apology to those who were abused and exploited.
And then lead the way with in-school programs that teach boys – both adolescents and younger boys – that REAL men don’t bully, abuse or sexually exploit others.
Is there ANY chance of that happening – in one of the last bastions of ‘old school tie’ influence in the Western world?
itstrue
November 23, 2014 at 21:36
Re Ken Haines I am hoping that those who suffered abuse at the hands of this monster will find the courage to come forward.
My Experience with this person related to sustained bullying of my daughter. I forgot to give her excursion money one Monday in the the late 70s and he decided to publicly humiliate her instead of contacting me. I wrote to him, asking that, if he had an issue with my child, that he take it up with me not her. He then launched a sustained attack against my daughter and me. He used to invent “charges” against my daughter and was angling to get her and her best friend expelled.
He used to stalk them around Battery Point and Salamanca each weekend. It got so bad that I asked the senior female teacher (with whom I was friendly) to intervene on our behalf. I was about to relocate my daughter to Ogilvie, when my husband got a job interstate and to my great relief we moved in 1980.
I mentioned my problem with Haines to a work colleague, who told me that Haines had tried to solicit her brother. The boy had resisted his advances and Haines embarked upon a period of harassment of the entire family. All attempts to have the allegations investigated met with a blank wall..at school,departmental and ministerial level. From memory the whole family were relocated to Friends. My daughter knows of several allegations from her male class mates…one named XXXxX [name deleted – ed]. Haines allegedly groomed a coterie of young males and bought them presents. The allegations were that these contacts moved to sexual activity.
I am writing this because even after 35 years, I am deeply disturbed by this knowledge. I asked my (now adult) daughter to attempt to contact her old friends to get them to come forward. I have already had many make make allegations and also defend Haines. It is entirely consistent with what I experienced. He had his favourite families of his boys and he had people lije my daughter and our family, to whom he took a dislike. I am writing this in the hope that victims will come forward and attempt to right a terrible wrong.
A Student
November 30, 2014 at 08:58
The car was not bought for Angus Payne, he gave him his own car (purple HQ Holden panel van.
Within minutes of reading your article I called the commission and related a story of when Haines inappropriately touched or groped me while under the pretense of looking for my cigarettes. They were brazenly displayed in my chest pocket. After this event when teachers would threaten to send me to Haines I retorted with “that poof†and they would not send me.
Haines wrote my school reference because I was a troubled student even though a teacher had accepted to write me one. I recall on one occasion Haines referring to Angus Payne as his adopted son. Haines was also a member of the masonic lodge which may have been part of a pedophile ring or cover ? I was @ Taroona 1980 to 83.
John
November 30, 2014 at 17:42
Normally, I’d be concerned about writing this because it’s about an individual, but since the other comments appear to stand…
Having spent 4 years at the school with Haines as VP, I can testify personally to the public bullying.
Grade 10 was the worst year of my life, and while it hasn’t greatly affected me into the future, it remains a dark memory.
Roger Waters put it well: “there were certain teachers who would hurt the children any way they could, by pouring their derision on anything we did, exposing every weakness however carefully hidden by the kids”.
As to the sexual side, while there were rumours, I never heard any first-hand stories or even names.
THS 81-84
November 30, 2014 at 23:09
I too suffered at the hands of Grinner Haines. Not sexually, but as others have described on this page, by humiliation and intimidation.
I was quite a shy high school student, with not a lot to say in class etc. I was walking along Sandy Bay Road one Saturday I think in about grade eight, when along came Grinner. He pulled me up outside the old Bay Supermarket and spat at me (on a busy street) “…you’re nothing but a mouse, (surname), you’ll never get anywhere in life, etc etc..”
Later, in grade ten, I landed Grinner as an English teacher. To be honest, he wasn’t a bad teacher, and gave me an appreciation of the language and literature. We got on alright and it seemed all was healed. Just before end of year, I had a bit of a disciplinary incident and wound up in front of the principal and Grinner to explain myself. “You can forget about your reference son, and you’re lucky not to be kicked out”, he spat at me (again). I subsequently lined up another teacher to write my reference. Haines discovered this, and insisted on writing mine. It was not good: “X is reticent at times, x should consider if he is suited to further study or if he should enter the workforce, etc”. When you’re a grade ten student, you think this is the end of your life. On the day of our leavers’ dinner, Haines was found dead, after he was discovered “shoplifting”.
As attested by most of the commenters on this page, Ken Haines was not a pleasant man, there were many rumours swirling around the place about him, and nobody did anything to investigate. Shame shame shame.
I hope anybody who does have a case to put before the Royal Commission does, safe in the knowledge that there is widespread support in the former THS student community to do so.
Markalias
December 1, 2014 at 17:30
i was assaulted in Lambert Park Sandy Bay on my way home from Hutchins junior school mid/ late 60s. I was innocently drinking from tap when a unknown man came up behind me and started groping and pulling my pants down. I was ‘saved’ by my older brother and his mates walking home from senior school a bit later. Apparently mum reported this to the police and the peadophile was ‘known’ to them. Never heard any more about it. My teenage sister was sexually assaulted on a Sandy Bay bus, she froze and the bastard got away with it.
Sadly the ‘Bay’ was no safer than any other suburb.
Still dealing with abuse from school days at school.
The establishment looks after its own?
An Observer
December 4, 2014 at 19:19
Calling for a scientific desecration .
The royal commission should be challenged to instruct any government institutions where pedophiles have been identified to pay for DNA samples to be taken. Dead ones exhumed if necessary. These genes and predispositions can be studied. Studies can also be conducted on pedophiles by displaying them images or sounds while they are in MRI machines and similar.
William Boeder
December 8, 2014 at 14:16
Thus we are subject to the odour of immorality that seemed to hover about in the atmospheres of the influential echelon’s of Hobart town.
One could even reflect back to the high ranking police officers of that era, one has to consider that these high ranking types would be requested to be compliant and pull a rug over the reported incidents that were provided to them by the families of assaulted student children.
The same can be said of all the leaders and pillars of society from that bygone era.
So often it was in times past that one must incline their trust toward the so-believed professionals in our society and those who must be obeyed by way of their appointment as our authorities.
Somewhere amongst this subject matter is the upper-level decision to not seek to prosecute the 100 odd persons that were identified by name that had paid for consensual sex with the young girl of
12-13 years of age.
Surely one cannot have forgotten this then highly controversial incident with it being reported far and wide across Tasmania?
I state here that only one person was charged from among all of the named persons who participated in this paedophilic activity.
I strongly believe and also recommend that this entire case matter be re-activated and all the named persons be brought to account.
There are others that share the same suspicions as myself in that the decision made at that previous juncture ‘to not proceed any further with this highly indecent conduct by those 100 odd’ was decidedly done to save the names of those that hover in the upper levels of our societies and authorities from being published.
Surely on the basis of the laws of this land there was some extra officio effort required to have this matter pushed aside for the sake of those named persons to have them spared from the publication of or their names being advanced into to the State’s law court system.
Are their other forum attendees that would prefer to see this mystery decision reviewed and to have these persons brought to account?
There is inherent here that the mighty contradiction ‘in that one lone person’ has had to face the full thrust of the same law that had allowed that 100 to escape exactly that of which was imposed upon that lone judged and found guilty individual.
So let it be known that the stench of the early eighties is still flourishing or alive in the atmospheres and resident within our State and still so easily detectable in this year of 2014.
Peter
December 20, 2014 at 22:54
A few weeks ago I did a web search wondering whether there had ever been any complaints about Grinner. There was innuendo in the late 70s when I was there but I know nothing directly. My experience with him was of being badly bullied at the school and Grinner doing nothing about it seeking to belittle my mother for expressing concern. I have some very fond memories of the school but in other ways it was a place to,survive. Students weren’t really taught to treat each other well.
Alex
February 24, 2015 at 01:52
Ed: Page Not Found … unable to confirm story …
Michael
December 29, 2015 at 18:30
Ken Haines was my English teacher at New Town High School in the early 1960s.
For me, he was a fine teacher who inspired respect for learning and literature – especially poetry.
I still have the hand-written volume of 110 verses and quotations – ‘eloquent touchstones of beauty, truth and wisdom’- he gave me in early 1984.
As for his untimely death six months later, a chronic and incurable health issue was very likely a contributing factor.
During the two decades I and my family knew him, I never witnessed – or heard of – any abusive incident involving any student, or anyone else.
I remember him fondly as a dedicated and erudite man of integrity, generosity and compassion, rightly recognised for his service to education and the community.
vicki pregnell
February 9, 2016 at 00:20
I was in grade 7 at taroona high school in 1973 .. i never had a problem with mr haines .. i recall he would come down too the canteen area under the school .. often checking on the students . the ones caught down at the beach would get told they know the area is out of bounds .. he was well dressed .. i wasn’t at the school for long before i was transferred too ogilvie high .. back then i never understood why .. a teacher mrs foster was always talking too mr haines .. i never knew mr haines committed suicide nor about his behaviour at taroona high …
Jan Dallas
February 9, 2016 at 12:58
All true, vicki Pregnell- he had become quite moderate by then, finally accepting boys’ choice to have long hair. One of my best friends at Taroona during65, 66 and 67, Peter Haines, (no relation), was bullied by Ken Haines for having and insisting on long hair and was denied a place on the school football team because of it. He left before getting his schools board, as Ken Haines had threatened when he first arrived at Taroona, and bullied him until he was old enough to leave, during his final year. Except for his long hair, he was an exemplary student, but the hair offended Haines.
Two years later, My friends younger brother, Steve Haines, just as long haired, was treated like royalty and allowed to keep his hair as he was fantastic at table tennis, Ken Haines’s favourite sport. Funny that. He tried to expel me lots of times in year 10, but failed as I was not yet 16, and had done little wrong. I persisted and got my certificate.
Anyway, I see that he never took you for English, or you’d know the difference between to and too. He was a stickler for correct English.
TR
February 18, 2016 at 18:17
I knew Angus well ( the boy who got the purple panel van.) he was in my year and we hung out a little, but he was a bit to reckless rather than a rebel..
I had a few lunch hours spent sitting outside Griiners window on detention and my older Brother had problems with him.But generations of kids I knew who were rebels mostly had no slight inside information that he sexually tried or assaulted anyone ..I don’t believe he sexually abused any one as we would have known.Angus would have let it slip..Hains was just a little insane and my feelings are he may have suffered some form of physical abuse from his mother, or some strange childhood upbringing..
Now he was no Angel and twisted, but a Sexual predator he wasn’t..He abused Kids but most of the teachers did in some form.Very few teachers can teach or for that matter care other than having the title and good long holidays..
Former student
February 25, 2016 at 14:36
My Dad was a student at THS and when I was in high school there in the late 90s, he often used to talk about ‘Grinner’ and how strange he was, as well as another VP at the school, ‘Basher Brown’, who my dad described as terrifying, violent and sadistic. I asked him about it again recently and he told me it was well known that Haines was grooming and sexually abusing boys. I have asked him to contact the RC.
TR
February 25, 2016 at 16:21
Now just to make a finale point.
I lived in Strickland Ave so I am talking hundreds of kids I knew well from all different ages who went to THS ranging from the 70’s through to the late 80’s…I even went to the strange Mans place once with Angus..
Rumour is not evidence, considering the massive numbers that he had contact with and no one has come forwards one would have to say he was a troubled man, unusual, with some type of psychological disorder and depression.There is no doubt was not fit to be in the education department and to all those who he psychologically abused regrettably there shall be no justice from a substandard system..
Lynne Newington
December 8, 2016 at 12:41
For many it’s an never ending story, the recent Catholic Church’s Truth Justice and Healing update from CEO Francis Sullivan here in Australia and the Vatican’s claims, sadly nothing has changed where it matters most.
Good luck to the Anglicans.
https://cruxnow.com/ap/2016/12/02/pope-told-priest-arrested-argentina-victim-advocates-say/
Kim grace
February 23, 2018 at 04:15
I was one if the boys Ken Haines took in, 1971 or 1972. Yes he was a predator, a groomer and yes he did force me to do things that I guess still haunt me, but I keep them pretty well buried. My grandparents trusted him, amd I guess I was off the rails, perfect target for a pedo. I have only just seen this stuff, I was looking for his links to the Freemasons. His real name, by the way, was Kenneth Graves. I do think he topped himself due to cancer, not the rumours. So yes, he did help lost boys but he also screwed up lost boys. Does one counter the other one? No, not nearly enough.
His freemason mates knew and probably a lot if the staff at Tariona knew, but what they did not have the courage to do was to question it. For that they should be ashamed.
Lynne Newington
February 23, 2018 at 10:19
The question I ask myself from the sidelines [and without prejudice] is where was/is the voice of Julian Punch.
With a CV like his and connections to the Catholic Church [one archbishop rescuing him I read somewhere when promoting his book] I was surprised he was still standing to tell his story.
Maybe because sex-abuse by his clergy brothers were not part of his curriculum.
http://oldtt.pixelkey.biz/index.php?/article/all-about-julian-punch/
Andy
September 15, 2021 at 19:34
I attended Taroona High in the 70s, and in my final year, grade 10, Mr Haines (aka Grinner) was my English teacher.
I was a pretty bad student throughout high school, disruptive, hyperactive and just a general nuisance. On too many occasions I was sent by several of my teachers to his office for disciplinary measures.
It was common knowledge amongst students that he was gay, but I never experienced or heard, in the four years I attended, of any remote suggestion of sexual approaches. In addition, I, and several of my friends, would hang out at his small flat in Sandy Bay on weekends, just every now and then. And again, there was never any sort of inappropriate behaviour whatsoever. In fact, although as a teacher he was a hard task master and could blow up at some of his students from time to time, he was a brilliant teacher who commanded respect, and got it!
I see no evidence in any comments written here to suggest he was anything but proper. Gay for sure, but that’s no crime. Rather, I get the feeling people are making baseless claims with no evidence, and perhaps his hard teaching style was more their issue.
For me, he was what we needed – a great and kind man who didn’t suffer fools.