The business owner who Peter Stefanovic made Keegan Payne apologise to has slammed the Sky News host for trying to turn what should have been a heart-warming story into a scandal.
Keegan, 19, made headlines last week when he sensationally caught a prize barramundi in Katherine, Northern Territory, which won him $1 million. A win like that would be huge for anyone, but the story was particularly sweet because Keegan worked two jobs and lived at home with his family of eight, who he said he would support with the money.
However, his inspirational story was disrupted when Stefanovic — mid-interview about the competition — abruptly asked the boy if he had stolen a vehicle and bike from his old boss Bob Cavanagh.
Stefanovic then pushed Keegan to apologise to Cavanagh live on air, and further pressured him to offer a cut of his winnings to him. The segment was blasted online for being offensive and racist, and now it has reached Cavanagh himself — who said that if anything, it’s Keegan who deserves an apology.
Cavanagh told Daily Mail Australia that he had already forgiven Keegan and his friends for the thefts, who had already tried to make amends.
“He’s a good kid who made a mistake,” Cavanagh said.
“What was meant to be a celebratory moment was stolen from him. I’m glad he [Stefanovic] apologised to Keegan, he deserved that apology.”
Cavanagh said Keegan was only 15 years old during the incident, and had already displayed regret and shame at what he had done. He said Keegan had felt “terrible” for costing the lawn mowing business, and offered to repay his old poss by working weekends until the damage was covered.
“He ended up being like a janitor at an aged-care home,” 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.”
Cavanagh said that Keegan had actually reached out after winning his million dollars and offered to repay him for the damage, despite the fact that it was all water under the bridge.
Stefanovic’s interview has been widely slammed online, with people accusing it of perpetuating harmful stereotypes of Aboriginal people.
After much backlash, Sky News and Stefanovic issued an apology — if you could really call it that — about the interview.
“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.”
