Three angry people still haven’t had their say on the Hawks racism scandal | Graham Cornes

There are many questions still unanswered in Hawthorn’s racism scandal, but something in particular stands out, writes Graham Cornes.

Among the host of unanswered questions complicating the Hawthorn racism saga, there is one that is most demanding to an impartial observer: “Why weren’t the three accused officials, Alastair Clarkson, Chris Fagan and Jason Burt, interviewed?”

They stand accused and condemned with a precarious grasp on their current jobs and future opportunities, yet it seems no one, certainly not the AFL or its independent investigative panel, has officially asked them for their side of the story.

It’s not as if they were reluctant to give it because Clarkson and Fagan have both said they were looking forward to presenting their “facts”.

Well now they will have their chance because the four families impacted by the saga released a statement on Friday declaring they will now take their grievances to the Human Rights Commission.

It’s an imposing-sounding tribunal but a quick glance at previous cases reveals matters that the public may see as being not overly serious.

For instance, a retirement village sought to restrict residents to those over 50 years of age. Or an applicant wanted to restrict tenants of a boarding house to those over 18.

Then there was the applicant who sought to advertise employment vacancies specifically for young people between the ages of 15 and 24. Hardly the investigation of war crimes the imagery of a Human Rights Commission conjures up.

Hawthorn's Cyril Rioli gets a hug from coach Alastair Clarkson after a 2016 win. Picture: Colleen Petch.

Hawks Football Manager Jason Burt in 2017. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Media

Admittedly, it was a bizarre conclusion to the AFL investigation. In announcing the results, outgoing AFL chief Gillon McLachlan said: “No adverse findings have been made in the independent investigation against any of the individuals against whom allegations have been made. The complainants wish to resolve all differences with the AFL.”

One might wonder whether there was a financial settlement, but the AFL and Friday’s statement from the four families confirms that’s not the case.

Of course, accusations then followed the AFL has simply swept the whole thing under the carpet but that’s unfair and must be inaccurate given the highly qualified investigation panel with records of First Nations advocacy that considered the matter.

But why weren’t the three most publicly-impacted people, Clarkson, Fagan and Burt, formally interviewed?

It’s hardly a satisfactory outcome and leads only to further rumour and innuendo and obviously for the accusers to pursue further resolution.

Clarkson, in his self-imposed exile from football commitments, has yet to comment on the AFL’s statement.

In standing down from his coaching role at North Melbourne, he had previously questioned the credibility of the investigation and lashed out at Hawthorn over its handling of the saga.

“Their governance and conduct in this whole thing, the Hawthorn Football Club, is shameful,” he thundered.

Chris Fagan, Senior Coach of the Lions during the 2023 AFL Round 11 match between the Adelaide Crows and the Brisbane Lions at Adelaide Oval on May 28. Picture: James Elsby

They are strong words and a sad reflection of what should have been an unassailable relationship between a stunningly successful coach and the club which had benefited from his leadership.

Obviously that relationship has long since deteriorated.

In hindsight, the club could have done things differently but it did launch its own internal investigation and reported immediately to the AFL.

The biggest problem, it seems, is someone leaked the report to an ABC journalist who published a one-sided account without waiting for the other side of the story to be told.

However, word does filter out and different perspectives are gleaned, even if no one can be quoted directly.

So, after two investigations, one internal and the other independent, all we have is speculation and the intention to take the case to the Human Rights Commission.

It seems a waste of resources for such an imposing-sounding institution but as previously stated it has a record of dealing with matters which to the outside world could be resolved with old-fashioned common sense.

As reported in The Advertiser on Friday, it seems the catalyst for the AFL’s action to finalise the investigation was the intention of Chris Fagan to pursue his own form of justice through the legal system.

Until Friday the complainants had remained anonymous, hiding behind pseudonyms.

Fagan, whose supposed transgressions in the saga amounted to nothing more than sitting in a meeting and nodding his head, reacted quickly to the AFL’s announcement.

“I am happy for any of my conduct and documents to be aired publicly in a public court or proper public process and let someone impartial decide what is true and what is false,” he said.

“I have made no concessions. There are none to make. I have done nothing wrong,” he stated emphatically.

He’s a good man, Chris Fagan, who guides his players with an avuncular demeanour but, understandably, he reacted passionately when he felt he had been falsely accused.

Jason Burt, the former Hawthorn player development manager, reacted much more vigorously with his social media post after the AFL’s announcement.

Surprisingly, he revealed the two people. “Zac” and “Kylie”, who had been shielded by pseudonyms and “who continue to make allegations to the media” are not Indigenous.

To this outside observer who can only glean information through the media or other sources closer to the club and the people involved, it appears a misguided gibe by former Hawks president Jeff Kennett about a pair of ripped jeans Cyril Rioli’s wife was wearing set off a chain reaction of complaints.

How many of us in the past have made such comments about ripped jeans that spouses, friends or our children have been wearing? To portray the comment as racist would seem unfair to Kennett, even if he does have a reputation for gauche commentary.

Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett. Picture: Ian Currie

Cyril Rioli’s disaffection for the club he served so spectacularly well precipitated a Hawthorn internal report conducted by former Richmond player Phil Egan.

It is true there are several ex-Hawthorn Indigenous players who have fallen on hard times since their AFL careers came to an end.

Clarkson, Fagan and Burt will all express their regret for their circumstances but refute categorically they were caused by any racist behaviour or commentary.

Unfortunately, the legal claims now pursued succeed in defining their circumstances along racial lines accompanying it with outrageous demands. Public perception can interfere with any just process.

In such circumstances, nobody wins because any defence of Clarkson, Fagan or Burt, particularly by those of us of Anglo-Saxon background, is dismissed and ridiculed as systemic racism.

There is another unfortunate perspective to this whole saga in that the AFL, which has always been at the forefront of inclusion, engagement and respect for cultural diversity, is now regarded with suspicion and cynicism.

It is now subjected to continued accusations of racism. Even the spectacular Indigenous celebrations of the Sir Doug Nicholls Round have done nothing to allay such cynicism and criticism.

The AFL might have concluded its investigation of the whole unpleasant affair but there is more to come.

It may yet play out in the courts as well as the Human Rights Commission.

Friday’s statement prepared by the players’ legal teams demands their grievances are heard.

That may happen in time but there are also three sad/angry ex-Hawthorn officials who will love every opportunity to tell their side of the story.