The Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS) has ended its association with the Melbourne Storm NRL club, following the club's abrupt cancellation of a Welcome to Country ceremony last month.
The controversy began when Wurundjeri Elder Aunty Joy Murphy Wandin was informed just hours before the club's Anzac Day match against the South Sydney Rabbitohs that her scheduled Welcome to Country ceremony had been cancelled.
The move drew immediate criticism, and the club later attributed the decision to a “miscommunication” between management and the board.
In a firm statement, VAHS announced the termination of its Deadly Choices campaign partnership with Melbourne Storm, including all associated community initiatives.
“The Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS) has made the difficult decision to withdraw our partnership on the Deadly Choices campaign with Melbourne Storm, effective immediately,” the statement read.
“This decision is directly related to the Melbourne Storm Board’s decision to cancel Aunty Joy’s Welcome to Country at the ANZAC Day match… This decision had a hurtful impact on Aunty Joy, the Djirri Djirri dancers, and the Wurundjeri People.
"We are mindful that the negative ripple effect was also felt by Aboriginal people locally across Naarm, the state, and the nation.”
VAHS further stated that the cancellation demonstrated “a lack of respect and cultural sensitivity towards Aboriginal people and Communities, specifically in relation to the treatment and recognition of Aunty Joy and the Wurundjeri People, particularly their cultural protocols and practices.”
As part of the termination, VAHS will also withdraw its branding from a Melbourne Storm warm-up shirt used in the health check promotion, and will no longer serve as a community outlet for Indigenous Round tickets, organise halftime Koori children’s games, or distribute tickets to Storm home games.
Melbourne Storm has been contacted for comment.
