Melbourne Storm is facing heavy criticism after cancelling a planned Welcome to Country ceremony at its ANZAC Day NRL match, leaving Indigenous elders and performers “broken-hearted”.
What happened?
Just hours before the Storm’s annual ANZAC Day clash with South Sydney at AAMI Park, Wurundjeri elder Aunty Joy Murphy Wandin was told by the club she was no longer needed to address the crowd. Aunty Joy, who has performed the Welcome to Country at major Melbourne events for years, said the decision left her and others stunned.
“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 cancellation also affected two First Nations dance groups who were set to perform. After the confusion, all Indigenous performers decided to withdraw from the pre-match ceremony.
Why was it cancelled?
The decision came after disruptions at Melbourne’s dawn service, where neo-Nazi hecklers booed and jeered during a Welcome to Country ceremony. The incident drew national condemnation, including from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who called the behaviour “beyond contempt” and said those responsible “must face the full force of the law”, per The Guardian.
Melbourne Storm later apologised, blaming a “miscommunication of expectations regarding the use of Welcome to Country at Melbourne Storm events throughout the year”. The club said it had spoken with those affected and acknowledged the timing was “not ideal”.
Despite the apology and a request for Aunty Joy to proceed with the ceremony, the damage was done. “After being disrespected, we couldn’t then go forward with a smile on our face and act,” said Djirri Djirri lead dancer Ky-ya Nicholson Ward.
The community reacts
Aunty Joy’s disappointment was echoed by other Indigenous leaders and performers. “When it comes to our elders, we are not going to stand by and let our elders be disrespected,” dancer Kathleen Terrick told ABC News.
Storm coach Craig Bellamy said after the game he was unaware of the situation, telling reporters, “That’s the first I’ve heard of that”.
The incident comes amid a broader debate about Welcome to Country ceremonies, with some politicians and sections of the public questioning their frequency at major events. However, many leaders, including Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, have called for respect. “ANZAC Day ceremonies are a sacrosanct part of our culture,” Dutton said, per The Nightly, adding that it’s not a place for political statements but that all Australians should be respected.
Aunty Joy made it clear she hopes to rebuild the relationship with the Storm, saying, “We want to help look after our communities in the NRL and the current players for Storm too,” per 7News.
The club, for its part, has said it will continue to support First Nations community groups and organisations and seek respectful ways to acknowledge culture at future events.
Lead image: AAP
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