AFL to probe into Aboriginal 'family separation', abortion pressures

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The Australian Football League has recently announced that it will create an external independent panel to probe into the "challenging, harrowing and disturbing" allegations that the Hawthorn Football club separated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players from their families, in addition to pressuring one couple to get an abortion. 

Shortly after the allegations arose, the CEO of Hawthorn, Justin Reeves, called the findings of the review in question "heartbreaking." The review alleged mistreatment of former players of First Nations, with Reeves remarking that the mistreatment came as “a surprise to everyone.”

Hawthorn launched the review after Cyril Rioli, a former First Nations Hawks star, accused the club of racist treatment in April. Reeves, on his part, said the process "wasn't an investigation as such," but rather a means of checking the welfare of Indigenous players and staff.

“I read the report like you guys today, and it is tough reading,” Reeves said. “It is heartbreaking … we are profoundly disappointed that some of our former players and their families feel like this about their experiences at the club.”

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According to Reeves, the club received the report two weeks ago. However, it was "more complicated" for the club to react immediately. Gillon McLachlan, the AFL chief executive, said the governing body received the report about a week ago.

“We spoke to a really wide range of people who were at the club at that time and it has been a surprise to everyone that I’ve spoken to – the findings of that report,” Reeves said. “Unfortunately we haven’t been able to speak directly to those affected but certainly the people I’ve spoken to [were not aware] of these allegations historically.”

Peter Nankivell, the vice-president, said that the president, Jeff Kennett, was "devastated". 

“There is no other word for it,” he said.

“What we have seen today is a challenging, harrowing and disturbing read,” McLachlan said. “I acknowledge the hurt, the anger and the grief of people who have shared their experiences and told their stories and all of those impacted.

Chris Fagan, who is the head coach of the Brisbane Lions and a former Hawks staff member, said will take a leave of absence to fully cooperate in the investigation. 

The AFL executive, on his part, said that the AFL will “get to the bottom of it”.

“I want to say to the women and the partners and also the players who have shared their stories that our first priority is to you, and to provide the care and the support that you need. You have been heard, and as a support and a community, we will do our best to wrap our arms around you in support.

“It is important that we continue to communicate with you and to you. Your welfare is the most pressing priority for us because I know that sharing these stories is not easy, but it is important that you do, and we want to thank you all who have shared their experiences as part of this review.”

An independent panel will be set up within the next 24 hours, according to McLachlan. 

“We need to run a proper investigation to get to the bottom of it and this is important, out of respect for those making the allegations and out of respect for those being accused,” he said.

“We need to provide natural justice and allow the process to go on, but we will seek to have the panel in place and work with the Hawthorn football club to develop the report of the plays and partners involved to engage with them, to expedite it and not extend the trauma.”

He went on to say there is no need to release the report publicly, as it would breach confidentiality: “I don’t believe that it is fair for people who have had the courage to come forward on a confidential anonymous basis in this report, to then release it publicly,” he said. “They would be given a commitment it would be confidential. They were given a commitment they would be de-identified. Unless that changes, it’s very difficult to release the report.”

Linda Burney, the minister for Indigenous Australians, said the findings were "harrowing", while former Hawthorn captain Luke Hodge said they were a "shock to the system."

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