Latest news with #AnzacDayNRL
Daily Mail
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Indigenous performers accuse the Melbourne Storm of LYING about the real reason the team cancelled Anzac Day Welcome to Country at the last minute
Indigenous performers have accused the Melbourne Storm of lying about the reason the club cancelled a planned Welcome to Country ceremony just hours before kick-off at their Anzac Day NRL match. Wurundjeri elder Aunty Joy Murphy had been scheduled to deliver the Welcome to Country at AAMI Park before Friday night's clash against the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Performances by Maori group Ngā Mātai Pūrua and Wurundjeri dance group Djirri Djirri were also organised for the evening. However, as performers rehearsed on the field, Murphy said she was informed by the club's board that they no longer wanted the Welcome to Country to proceed. Following the decision, both Ngā Mātai Pūrua and Djirri Djirri withdrew from performing. Storm chairman Matt Tripp said the issue arose from a misunderstanding between the board and management. Tripp stated the board had only approved Welcome to Country ceremonies for multicultural and Indigenous rounds, but not Anzac Day. However, the Djirri Djirri dance group claim they were told that the Welcome to Country was cancelled by the board because of the booing of Uncle Mark Brown at the Anzac Dawn Service in Melbourne. 'We Djirri Djirri were invited to dance alongside our Mäori Whanau Ngã Matai Púrua Kapa Haka after Aunty Joy Murphy Wandin's Welcome to Country,' they said in a statement. 'We arrived at 2:30pm and have been in and out of the change room to rehearse, it has been raining all day and we have multiple babies and kids with us waiting in the rain. 'After our final rehearsal we were approached by Melbourne Storm CEO Justin Rodski saying they are so grateful to have us all dancing together, but tonight the Board doesn't feel comfortable having a Welcome to Country because of what happened in regards to the booing of Uncle Mark Brown at the ANZAC Dawn Service. 'They were also "happy" for us to still dance to represent the "Welcome" but we were in shock and disbelief.' Tripp said he was unaware of the disturbance at Melbourne's dawn service earlier that day. 'I had no idea,' he told the Sydney Morning Herald. Earlier on Anzac Day, far-right agitators booed and heckled Bunurong elder Uncle Mark Brown during his Welcome to Country at Melbourne's Shrine of Remembrance. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the actions, saying, 'A neo-Nazi disrupting Anzac Day is abhorrent, un-Australian, and disgraceful. The people responsible must face the full force of the law.' Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said the incident was 'beyond disrespectful' and Defence Minister Richard Marles urged Australians to focus on the sacrifices of Anzac soldiers. RSL Victoria president Robert Webster praised the crowd for drowning out the hecklers with applause, stating it reflected the respect the occasion deserved. Melbourne Storm issued a public statement blaming a 'miscommunication' for the last-minute cancellation at AAMI Park. 'There was a miscommunication of expectations regarding the use [of] Welcome to Country at Melbourne Storm events throughout the year,' the club said. The Storm confirmed they intend to continue Welcome to Country ceremonies during multicultural and Indigenous rounds. The club displayed an Acknowledgement of Country message on the big screens during the Anzac commemoration at AAMI Park. Murphy said no clear reason was given for the initial cancellation, only that Storm chief executive Justin Rodski said it was a board decision. 'After being disrespected, we couldn't then go forward with a smile on our face and act,' Djirri Djirri lead dancer Ky-ya Nicholson Ward said. Murphy added, 'We want to rebuild our relationship. We want to make them realise that this was wrong, hurtful, deceitful and tokenistic.' In December 2024, the Storm announced they would scale back Welcome to Country ceremonies at regular games. The club clarified it would continue acknowledgements at 'culturally significant celebrations.' The decision sparked criticism from Indigenous artists, including Yorta Yorta rapper Briggs, who questioned the club's commitment to cultural recognition. 'See, the cost of living means cultural recognition is just not viable in this economy,' Briggs wrote on X. 'Unsurprising & underwhelming. What's your identity @Storm?' The controversy also follows revelations that Storm part-owner Brett Ralph donated $175,000 to the 'No' campaign during the Indigenous Voice referendum debate. At the MCG on Anzac Day, a Welcome to Country by Wurundjeri elder Uncle Colin Hunter was warmly received before the AFL clash between Collingwood and Essendon. Commentators noted that the strong applause may have been a response to the earlier disruptions in Melbourne. Meanwhile, in Perth, a heckler interrupted Noongar elder and former soldier Di Ryder during her Welcome to Country at Kings Park. Spectators quickly hushed the heckler and supported the ceremony. Veteran and former Fitzroy AFL player Uncle Ricky Morris condemned the behaviour, calling it disrespectful to Aboriginal people and all Australians who have served. '[The people who disrupted Friday's Welcome to Country] need to go back and have a good hard look at themselves,' Morris said. Fans reacted strongly online to the Storm's cancellation, with some calling it 'disgusting' and accusing the club of enabling racist behaviour. 'Melbourne Storm cancelling the Welcome to Country is absolutely disgusting,' one fan posted. 'Melbourne Storm enabled racists when they cut back on the Welcome to Country a while back. Now they cancelled today. Shameful for a club that Greg Inglis played for,' another added. 'You know why? Because it could end with thousands of people booing, arguing, fighting and rioting. Football games are charged with adrenaline and 'fighting spirit.' I really dont think they wanted to risk it,' another speculated. Others welcomed the move, describing the Welcome to Country as divisive and applauding the decision. 'Good. Stop this divisive disingenuous display,' posted one footy fan. Another added: 'Great work Storm, Read the room well, No more of this woke BS' 'And that right there is the beginning of the end of the WTC. The boos will now get louder until it is gone,' another said.
SBS Australia
27-04-2025
- Politics
- SBS Australia
Boss of NRL club that cancelled Welcome to Country linked to lobby group that opposes ritual
Melbourne Storm has blamed a misunderstanding between the board and management for cancelling a Welcome to Country at its Anzac Day NRL match. However, questions have been raised by the fact that the club's director Brett Ralph is a significant donor to Advance, a lobby group campaigning to end the ritual. took place before the game between Storm and South Sydney Rabbitohs on Friday evening but without a Welcome to Country, which left an Aboriginal elder "in shock". Wurundjeri elder Aunty Joy Murphy Wandin said she was informed on Friday afternoon by the club she was no longer required to address the crowd at AAMI Park before the match. "After our final rehearsal we were approached by Melbourne Storm CEO Justin Rodski saying … the Board doesn't feel comfortable having a Welcome to Country because of what happened in regards to the booing of Uncle Mark Brown at the ANZAC Dawn Service," the Djirri Djirri dancers and Aunty Joy said in a statement. "We were in shock and disbelief." Aunty Joy, who has performed the Welcome to Country at Melbourne events for years, said the Storm then reversed its position, apologised, and asked her to continue with her ceremony as originally planned. Two First Nations groups were also scheduled to perform, but after the confusion they all decided to cancel their performances. "We strongly regard this as being totally tokenistic and goes completely against their journey of reconciliation and we feel very disrespected," the statement read. "What we do isn't a performance, it's a cultural ceremony and protocol. We strongly feel this action taken by Melbourne Storm was unnecessary and has caused us hurt and disbelief in what we thought was a good relationship. "This should be a time for us all to stand together with remembrance and respect." Aunty Joy added that she had wanted to honour her father Sapper James Henry Wandin who fought for Australia in World War One. Storm Chairman Matt Tripp on Sunday released a statement blaming the cancellation on a "miscommunication of expectations regarding the use of Welcome to Country at Melbourne Storm events" between the club's board and management. He said that the board "were not aware" that a Welcome to Country was to be performed at Friday's game. "We had agreed at the start of the year that a Welcome to Country would be delivered at multicultural round and Indigenous Round and would always have an Acknowledgement of Country when appropriate," Tripp said. But he said that, once the board received details of programming from management, they "gave the green light to progress". "By then, it was understandably too late for those who had already been informed of our earlier decision," he added. "I know there were some disappointed groups and individuals involved and we apologise for the misunderstanding and will be meeting with them to clear this up." The group also lobbies against Welcomes to Country ceremonies, saying they are divisive and a waste of taxpayers' money. "Make no mistake: What started as a simple gesture has turned into a full-blown activist-led push to attack Australia's history and its values," the group says on an online page titled It's Time to Stop Welcome to Country. "Its purpose is to make you feel unwelcome in your own country." Ralph's company JMR Management Consultancy Services gave $50,000 to Advance during the 2023-2024 financial year, Australian Electoral Commission disclosures show. The NRL club offered no comment on Ralph's support of the lobby group on Sunday. Advance also refused to comment on individual donors, but on Sunday said an Anzac Day commemoration was "no place" for Welcomes to Country. "This day should be about what unites us, not what divides us," an Advance spokesman told SBS News. "It is the day for all Australians to stand proudly with our Anzacs, our veterans and our service men and women." More than 52,000 Australians have signed Advance's petition calling on Anthony Albanese to stop using taxpayer money to pay for Welcomes to Country. Advance, formerly known as Advance Australia, is a conservative political lobbying group launched in 2018 that targets everyday Australians but is financed by high-profile businesspeople like Ralph. Both the prime minister and opposition leader condemned the behaviour of right-wing extremists at the Friday dawn service. Visit the to access articles, podcasts and videos from SBS News, NITV and our teams covering more than 60 languages.
7NEWS
26-04-2025
- Sport
- 7NEWS
Melbourne Storm issue statement over Welcome to Country decision
Melbourne Storm have issued a statement after sparking extreme backlash to a last-minute decision to scrap a Welcome to Country at its Anzac Day NRL match on Friday. The decision created chaos ahead of the game at AAMI Park, and left an Aboriginal elder 'broken-hearted'. The Storm held its annual Anzac Day commemorations before the clash with South Sydney, kicking off at 8.10pm AEST. But a few hours earlier, the Storm contacted Wurundjeri elder Aunty Joy Murphy Wandin and informed her she was no longer required to address the crowd. However, Murphy said the Storm then reversed its position, apologised, and asked her to continue with the ceremony as originally planned. The ABC has reported that Storm chief executive Justin Rodski then stepped in and told Wandin that the Welcome to Country was off. Two First Nations groups were also scheduled to perform but, after the confusion, they all decided to cancel their performances. The Storm later released a statement blaming a 'miscommunication' for the cancellation. 'There was a miscommunication of expectations regarding the use (of) Welcome to Country at Melbourne Storm events throughout the year,' the club said. 'We acknowledge and accept the timing and miscommunication was not ideal and we have spoken to the groups concerned this afternoon.' In December last year, the Storm were forced to respond to reports that they had plans to scrap Welcome to Country ceremonies. 'Melbourne Storm is not 'ditching' its Welcome to Country or acknowledgments as suggested by recent media. We will continue these acknowledgments at culturally significant celebrations,' the club said on December 15 last year. 'The strength and success of our club is built on many cultures and communities, and our engagement with them has helped us to reflect the differing views on how we best support and represent each group. 'We will continue to talk to these communities and seek their input to find the most appropriate and respectful way to acknowledge and celebrate culture, including how we best acknowledge First Nations people. 'The club will continue to support First Nations community groups and organisations, as it has done for many years, delivering programs and initiatives that promote positive health, welfare and education outcomes.' The cancellation came after several people interrupted the Welcome to Country at the Melbourne Dawn Service. Jacob Hersant, a self-declared neo-Nazi and the first person in Victoria to be convicted of performing the Nazi salute, was seen being led away from the Shrine by police after the protest. Murphy has performed the Welcome to Country at Melbourne events for years. 'We were all just dumbfounded,' Murphy, who was planning to wear her father's medals during the Welcome to Country, said. 'We would dearly love to be out there, but they've broken our hearts. 'We want to rebuild our relationship. We want to make them (realise) that this was wrong, hurtful, deceitful and tokenistic.'
The Guardian
26-04-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Melbourne Storm leave Indigenous elder ‘heartbroken' after cancelling Welcome to Country
Melbourne Storm are under fire after being accused of cancelling a Welcome to Country at its Anzac Day NRL match at the last minute, leaving an Aboriginal elder 'broken-hearted'. Wurundjeri elder Aunty Joy Murphy Wandin said she was informed by the club on Friday afternoon that she was no longer required to address the crowd before the match at AAMI Park. The Storm held its annual Anzac Day commemorations before the clash with South Sydney, kicking off at 8.10pm. The cancellation came after several people interrupted the Welcome to Country at a Melbourne dawn service. Murphy, who has performed the Welcome to Country at Melbourne events for many years, said the Storm then reversed its position, apologised, and asked her to continue with her ceremony as originally planned. Two First Nations groups were also scheduled to perform, but after the confusion they all decided to cancel their performances. 'We were all just dumbfounded,' Aunty Joy told Nine. 'We would dearly love to be out there, but they've broken our hearts. 'We want to rebuild our relationship. We want to make them [realise] that this was wrong, hurtful, deceitful and tokenistic.' Kathleen Terrick, one of the dancers who were set to perform during the pre-match ceremony, backed the decision to cancel their show. 'When it comes to our elders, we are not going to stand by and let our elders be disrespected,' Terrick told ABC News. The Storm later released a statement blaming a 'miscommunication' for the cancellation. Sign up to Australia Sport Get a daily roundup of the latest sports news, features and comment from our Australian sports desk after newsletter promotion 'There was a miscommunication of expectations regarding the use [of] Welcome to Country at Melbourne Storm events throughout the year,' the club said. 'We acknowledge and accept the timing and miscommunication was not ideal and we have spoken to the groups concerned this afternoon.' Storm coach Craig Bellamy said after the game he 'didn't know anything about that'. 'That's the first I've heard of that,' Bellamy said after the Storm beat Rabbitohs 24-16. The pre-match Anzac Day ceremony, including the Welcome to Country, was performed without a hitch earlier in the day at the MCG as Collingwood faced Essendon in their traditional AFL clash.
The Advertiser
26-04-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Melbourne Storm slammed as Welcome to Country cancelled
Melbourne Storm are under fire after cancelling a Welcome to Country at its Anzac Day NRL match at the last minute, leaving an Aboriginal elder "broken-hearted".
