Exclusive by Antoinette Lattouf and Anushri Sood
The sports stars, both former drug addicts and convicted criminals who say they’ve turned their lives around, have teamed up for a press tour, spruiking a program described as “repaying the debt” to society, but Ettte Media can reveal the organisation they’re collaborating with is charging more than $10,000 for a half-day session – a detail all media outlets left out.
“A chance to give back” is how Scott Miller, former Olympian and convicted drug dealer, describes his position as ambassador for Alcohol and Drug Awareness Australia (ADA), as he joins forces with thrice-jailed former AFL player Ben Cousins in what Cousins describes as “providing support and help”.
Both Cousins and Miller are new “celebrity ambassadors” and speakers of the Beacon Program, a program run by ADA that it describes as raising awareness about “alcohol, drugs and mental health for sporting clubs and communities.”
ADA Australia is a little known for-profit business based in Melbourne, not a charity. Yet a flurry of media outlets and high-profile broadcasters have gushed over the men's “redemption” story of “paying back to friends, family and the wider community.”
However, none mentioned that it comes with a hefty fee - ADA Australia charges $9,999 to book Cousins and Miller for a half-day speaking gig, excluding travel and accommodation expenses.