Banker in supermodel email blunder keeps job

An Australian banker who became an internet sensation after he was caught on live television viewing images of a scantily clad supermodel on his computer will keep his job, Macquarie Bank said on Friday.

"He will remain an employee of Macquarie," the bank said in a statement. "Macquarie and the employee apologize for any offence that may have been caused."

David Kiely, who works in Macquarie Private Wealth in Sydney, opened e-mails on Tuesday containing pictures of model Miranda Kerr, unaware a colleague behind him was doing a live television interview about the Australian economy.

The incident became a YouTube hit and sparked an online campaign that urged forgiveness.

The financial website Here is the City News set up a "Save Dave" page encouraging readers to email the public relations department of Macquarie Bank to save Kiely's job.

Supermodel comes to his defense
The web campaign listed four reasons why Kiely should be allowed to keep his job: he seems like a nice guy; the photographs were not hardcore; he has suffered enough, and there's just too much political correctness in this world anyway.

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Macquarie is known in banking circles as the "millionaire's club" because of the high bonuses earned by some of its staff.

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Earlier on Friday, the woman who is getting as much attention as Kiely made a plea on behalf of the banker. 

Kerr, a 26-year-old Australian-born model engaged to "Pirates of the Caribbean" star Orlando Bloom, said she hoped Kiely would not lose his job.

"I am told there is a petition to save his job, and of course I would sign it," news.com.au quoted her as saying.