Regardless of his race views, he didn't behave like a grown up man LD.
It was very uncomfortable seeing a child, a girl ridiculed and shamed because of his lack of self discipline and I would guess his mental health declined due to the conflict of guilt versus carrying an ethnic torch. The Australian of the Year tokenism would have reinforced that regret and unworthiness..... everyone knows (including the recipients) the 'everyone gets a trophy' sham when they see it.
