A speaking event featuring former AFL player Ben Cousins was axed at a Ballarat hotel. The decision came after community backlash. This is the second time a scheduled appearance for Cousins has been cancelled in the past few days. Public anger led to the cancellation. The venue reversed the booking. The latest scrapping follows another cancellation earlier in the week. Cousins was due to speak at the venue. Event organizers said they acknowledged the anger from the community.