Over the weekend, Sydney’s clear blue skies became innocent victims of the ‘No’ campaign. As VICE reported on Monday, skywriting is expensive and the anonymous organisers of the four “vote no” messages were hoping to crowdfund the bill, which totalled around $4000. GoFundMe then refused to hand over the funds until organisers revealed their identities, and one person has now come forward to claim the money.
41-year-old Kat Klayton of Canberra is, surprise surprise, a campaigner against the Safe Schools program. And like so many ‘No’ voters, she seems to have confused the marriage equality question with a debate over whether or not vulnerable LGBTQI+ children should have access to anti-bullying resources in their classrooms. She runs a Facebook group called Safe Schools, Australian Law and Our Kids, and describes herself as a “Working Mum trying to stand along side those opposing the insanity destroying Aussie values.”
The GoFundMe page has now been updated with Klayton’s details. We’re deliberately leaving in her creative grammar and spelling:
“Edit. This is a grassroots campaign initiated by a group of likeminded Australians on social media. Our representative is Kat A Klayton of canberra. All funds will go towards paying a skywriter to write our Vote No message in the skies of Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Depending on the costs involved one, two or three skywiting messages will be paid for. #VoteNo”
It seems like Klayton was the only person willing to own up to the page, as a second edit attributes responsibility solely to her:
“Edit 2. As of today Kat A Klayton has taken over all aspects of running the page and campaign officially. all funds will be withdrawn to her nominated bank account and used for the sole purpose of what was stated previously being the procurement of a skywriting service to write our VOTE NO message in the sky.”
According to a public status on her personal Facebook page, Klayton wasn’t the original organiser of the GoFundMe but has chosen to take responsibility for it in order to protect others. That’s mighty big of her, as she explains on a status update: “For the record LEFT WING MORONS my name is on the GFM to prevent the original group exposing themselves and their families to the BULLSHIT my family has seen in the last 72+hrs!!”
People have continued to donate to Klayton’s campaign, but a rival page organised by Queensland-based ‘Yes’ voter Jay M Haurat has quickly surpassed it in funds and amassed more than $6000 to pay for a giant rainbow flag that will be towed by helicopter across the Sydney skies. Haurat had initially intended to pay for “vote yes” skywriting but updated the campaign “due to the only skywriting business in Sydney being owned by active members of the Australian Christian Lobby.” Haurat has been granted access to the money raised.
Meanwhile, Klayton is still having difficulties obtaining the funds. Her latest update on the GoFundMe page says “Dear supporters, I am still working very hard with gofundme and unfortunately our funds are still on hold.”
Bummer.
Klayton declined to speak with VICE about her campaign efforts. GoFundMe has not yet responded to our requests for comment
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