AFL's Hawks investigation panel cops blowback

2 years ago 93

UPDATE: The AFL has revealed the autarkic four-person sheet that volition analyse allegations of racism astatine the Hawthorn Football Club, but according to an ABC report, the governing assemblage has immoderate fences to mend earlier the probe tin get underway.

Senior lawyer Bernard Quinn KC was connected Tuesday announced arsenic the person of the panel, with the probe to specifically look astatine the play covering January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2016.

The AFL announced that Quinn would beryllium joined connected the sheet by Jacqualyn Turfrey, Tim Goodwin and Julie Buxton. The sheet features 2 First Nations representatives successful Turfrey and Goodwin.

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Yet those appointments person ruffled much feathers, with an ABC study revealing the families interviewed for Hawthorn's taste information reappraisal had been blindsided and did not deliberation the sheet could beryllium genuinely autarkic if the AFL was down it.

"Nobody from the AFL has communicated with america astatine each connected anything," a subordinate of 1 of the families is quoted successful the ABC report.

That aforesaid root was besides furious astir reports claiming Alastair Clarkson, who has denied allegations against him, would beryllium allowed to commencement his occupation with North Melbourne earlier the completion of the investigation.

"If the AFL allows that, it shows they genuinely don't attraction astir us," she told the ABC.

"Gillon McLachlan has antecedently stated that our wellbeing is astatine the forefront, but it does not consciousness similar that to us."

Lawyer Judy Courtin, who represents 1 of the Hawthorn families, added that an enquiry established by and funded by the AFL could not anticipation to beryllium independent.

"My clients, yet again, consciousness they are being marginalised," Courtin told the ABC.

"For an enquiry to beryllium fair, its constitution should instrumentality into information the needs and concerns of each parties. As this family's ineligible representatives, we person not been approached by either the Hawthorn nine oregon the AFL."

Despite those comments from the Hawthorn families and their ineligible representatives, the AFL's General Counsel Andrew Dillon was adamant the probe would "hear the perspectives of each involved".

"These are precise superior allegations, and it is important that we person an autarkic sheet that is capable to perceive the perspectives of each progressive and to supply earthy justness to those making the claims and those who person had claims made against them," Dillon said successful a statement.

"It is besides vitally important that the sheet is capable to implicit its enactment independently of the AFL.

"Bernard Quinn KC, the seat of the autarkic probe and sheet members Jacqualyn Turfrey, Julie Buxton and Tim Goodwin are each eminently qualified barristers that volition beryllium capable to supply their intellect and important expertise to the process.

"The four-person panel, with their divers backgrounds including successful respect of Ms Turfrey and Mr Goodwin arsenic First Nations persons volition besides person the quality to bring successful further extracurricular expertise, whether that beryllium successful taste safety, shot medication oregon immoderate different country the sheet believes other assets is needed."

The AFL added that it did not cognize the identities of the 5 families who person made the humanities allegations against Alastair Clarkson, Chris Fagan and Jason Burt, with a petition for their identities to beryllium disclosed rejected by the lawyers of the families.

A projected Terms of Reference and Process Plan has been provided to the ineligible teams of the 5 families arsenic good arsenic those representing the Hawthorn Football Club, Clarkson, Fagan, Burt, and to Binmada, the institution that conducted the archetypal reappraisal into Hawthorn.

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