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ABC News
10-05-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
Melbourne Storm loses Aboriginal Health Service partnership over Welcome to Country snub
The Melbourne Storm's decision not to have a Welcome to Country ceremony before its Anzac Day clash has prompted a major partner to sever ties with the NRL club. The Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS), which runs the Deadly Choices program in the state, said it was cancelling its campaign with the Storm. A statement posted on social media by VAHS said this was a direct result of the club's treatment of Wurundjeri elder Joy Murphy Wandin before the round eight game against South Sydney at AAMI Park. VAHS, which has been operating since 1973, said the decision "was disrespectful to Aunty Joy and the Wurundjeri People … [and] had hurtful impact on Aboriginal people throughout Naarm and across the country". "This decision made by the Melbourne Storm board demonstrated a lack of respect and cultural sensitivity towards Aboriginal people and communities," VAHS said in a letter to Storm chief executive Justin Rodski. "Such an action is inconsistent with our values of respect, cultural integrity and cultural safety. The decision has initiated poor well-being, including feelings of sadness and anger among our community and stakeholders." After it became clear that the Welcome to Country had not been held before the Anzac Day game despite Aunty Joy being at the ground to deliver the address, the Storm said the club's "board had not approved for it to be held on Anzac Day". It came hours after Bunurong and Gunditjmara man Uncle Mark Brown was booed and heckled by members of the crowd at the dawn service at Melbourne's Shrine of Remembrance. The Storm said its decision was not related to the booing earlier in the day, but Aunty Joy said she was told it was. The club chalked the decision up to a miscommunication over whether the ceremony had been approved to go ahead and chairman Matt Tripp told Nine: "Once we understood the programming from management, we gave the green light to progress. By then, it was understandably too late for those who had already been informed of our earlier decision." The Storm have held smoking ceremonies, traditional Aboriginal and Māori dances and numerous Welcomes to Country before games alongside the commemoration of the nations' military history at Anzac Day clashes in previous years. The Storm officially partnered with Deadly Choices and VAHS in 2021. In 2022, VAHS chief executive Michael Graham said the organisation was "proud to be associated with the Melbourne Storm based on the club's own strong ties to the Aboriginal community". "We appreciate the opportunities we have had to work together with Melbourne Storm thus far and trust that future engagements will reflect a genuine, iron-clad commitment to honouring Aboriginal lore, people and place," VAHS said in announcing its split. The Storm's website says the club celebrates its connection to and recognition of Indigenous people "across a range of partnerships and programs". Among those partnerships is specialist Aboriginal family violence service Dardi Munwurro. Deadly Choices is listed as an "official partner" on the Melbourne Storm website. The club has been contacted for comment.
ABC News
28-04-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
VIDEO: Aboriginal elder says Melbourne Storm told her Welcome to Country on Anzac Day would be 'inappropriate'
Wurundjeri elder Joy Murphy Wandin says she has not been contacted by Melbourne Storm, since her Welcome to Country at an Anzac Day match was cancelled.
ABC News
28-04-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Aboriginal elder says Melbourne Storm told her Welcome to Country on Anzac Day would be 'inappropriate'
Victorian Aboriginal elder Aunty Joy Murphy Wandin says she was told by Melbourne Storm's CEO that performing a Welcome to Country at Friday's Anzac Day NRL match would be "inappropriate". The Wurundjeri elder said she was still yet to hear from the club about the hurt caused after the welcoming ceremony was Earlier that day, Bunurong and Gunditjmara elder Mark Brown was Melbourne Storm said in a statement on Saturday that the cancellation was due to a "misunderstanding" which had "caused confusion with the pre-game cultural ceremony". "The Board asked for clarification about the sequencing of the Anzac Day ceremony, and we were not aware that a Welcome to Country was to be performed," Melbourne Storm chairman Matt Tripp said in a statement. "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." Nobody from Melbourne Storm has been available for interview since the ceremony was cancelled. Aunty Joy Murphy Wandin says the cancellation of the Welcome to Country ceremeony left her "heartbroken". ( AAP: James Ross ) Ms Murphy Wandin said she was driving to AAMI Park ahead of the service on Friday when Melbourne Storm CEO Justin Rodski phoned her to say the ceremony would not go ahead. "When I got in he said it was about the booing that happened and something like protecting or looking after you," she told ABC News Breakfast. " I don't need protecting … I don't understand it. " Ms Murphy Wandin, whose father was a World War I veteran, said she was also told that performing the ceremony on Anzac Day would be "inappropriate". Photo shows Uncle Mark Brown The outright hostility at Melbourne's Anzac Day service mirrors the long, quiet and painful exclusion of Black diggers from the national conversation. She said she was left "heartbroken" and "in shock" over the cancellation and would take time to think about any future co-operation with the club. "I don't honestly know if I can do another Welcome there," she said. "When we meet with the board — which we must do and they must do — we must follow this through, we need the truth. "We need to know that we're safe there, that they're genuine about what their plans are." Indigenous and Maori players upset by incident Wurundjeri woman and Djirri Djirri dancer Ky-Ya Nicholson was due to perform at the game before the Welcome to Country was cancelled. "The CEO walked up to us and said 'we love what you are doing but unfortunately the board decided that we do not want the Welcome to Country tonight because of the events that happened earlier today'," she said. Ms Nicholson said she and fellow dancers decided to boycott the event after seeing Ms Murphy Wandin visibly upset. " Our instant response was shock and disbelief and amongst ourselves instantly we decided, no, we're boycotting. This is disrespectful. " The ABC understands several Indigenous and Maori NRL players are also deeply upset by the incident. Tyson Tuala was due to take part in the event on behalf of Maori community as part of the Nga Matai Parua dance group, but also decided to boycott. Tyson Tuala was due to represent the Maori community at the game but decided to boycott the event. ( ABC News Breakfast ) "To have that taken away from us and from the young people that were in our group as well, an opportunity to honour those who have fallen on both sides of the [Tasman] Sea, that was a massive disappointment," he said.
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.
Perth Now
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
Storm lashed after Welcome to Country cancellation
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". 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. The Storm held its annual Anzac Day commemorations before the clash with South Sydney, kicking off at 8.10pm. Murphy, 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 were all just dumbfounded," Aunty Joy told The Age. "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 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." Storm coach Craig Bellamy said after the game he "didn't know anything about that". "That's the first I've heard of that," he said. The cancellation came after several people interrupted the Welcome to Country at a Melbourne dawn service.
