Hawthorn accuser slams 'disingenuous' AFL probe

2 years ago 89

One of the women to person made accusations of racism and mistreatment by senior figures astatine Hawthorn has announced she volition not co-operate with the AFL's investigation.

In a connection released by Marque Lawyers connected Wednesday morning, the woman, known arsenic "Amy" to support her identity, alleges she is the unfortunate of "appalling mistreatment by Hawthorn Football Club" and slammed the AFL probe arsenic "disingenuous" portion casting uncertainty the process volition beryllium just and independent.

The AFL announced Bernard Quinn KC would pb the probe into allegations of "racist behaviour, bullying and different inappropriate conduct" by Hawthorn employees towards indigenous players betwixt 2008-2016.

Jacqualyn Turfrey, Tim Goodwin and Julie Buxton are the different panellists to undertake the probe.

"Why would I inquire the protectors of the perpetrators who caused maine each this trauma to past analyse the abuse?" Amy said successful the statement.

The Gunditjmara and Bunitj pistillate said she feels "guilt" for having not spoken up astatine the clip and refused "to consent to the silencing tactics of the AFL."

She besides said Alastair Clarkson and Chris Fagan person returned to their roles, nevertheless for her, "it is not concern arsenic usual".

"It's a small hard to talk up erstwhile it feels similar your dependable container has been pulled retired of your throat," Amy said.

"I could either enactment numb and silent, oregon I could find my dependable and play my portion successful the conflict to effort and make information and extortion for our young ones who would inevitably look these systems."

In the statement, Marque Lawyers – headed by Michael Bradley – said it was hard to judge the AFL's probe into the claims volition exposure the afloat scope of the concern due to the fact that it is "not an autarkic investigation".

"While we formed nary aspersions connected the nominated probe sheet members, the full process volition beryllium conducted nether the power of the AFL and for the AFL's purposes," the connection reads.

"If the AFL is genuinely acrophobic to unearth and exposure the afloat extent of racist mistreatment of First Nations players and their families by 1 oregon much of its clubs, past it should prosecute an outer assemblage with due expertise, operating wholly independently of the AFL, to behaviour a wide-ranging enquiry into the systemic racist abuses that the revelations regarding Hawthorn person exposed.

"Instead, the AFL's ain lawyers are assisting the probe sheet and corresponding with parties connected its behalf.

"A lawyer was besides appointed to correspond the players and families, without archetypal being asked what they wanted oregon immoderate information of the diverseness of their interests. The probe study volition beryllium the spot of the AFL, which volition determine erstwhile and however it is released.

"It continues the signifier of maltreatment it is supposedly addressing.

"The probe won't respond to the findings of the Hawthorn Cultural Safety Review but alternatively interrogate whether the incidents of maltreatment adjacent took place, which is simply a immense insult to the galore First Nations players and household members who were brave capable to travel guardant to stock and relive the trauma they experienced."

The connection besides said the probe enactment the information of the accusers astatine risk.

"There is nary information successful this; nary respect to oregon respect for privacy, nary taste sensitivity, lone brutal intrusion upon the astir intimate and traumatic experiences successful the lives of the (alleged) victims of Hawthorn's mistreatment," the connection reads.

"The players and their families were promised anonymity by Hawthorn; present the nine is asking them to consent to the disclosure of their idiosyncratic accusation and doing thing to support them. It is wide that this probe does not person arsenic its absorption a tendency to remedy, oregon adjacent beryllium responsive to, the trauma that First Nations players and their families accidental they experienced."

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