Payne Haas: NRL gender adviser Catharine Lumby slammed for support

A gender adviser for the NRL has defended controversial comments she made in support of Broncos prop Payne Haas who escaped conviction for a drunken outburst against police.

Under-fire NRL advisor Catharine Lumby has admitted Broncos prop Payne Haas’ behaviour was “wrong” and while she doesn’t speak for the NRL there is “no problem” with her views on cultural police tensions.

Dr Lumby, the NRL’s so-called gender adviser, drew the ire of the community and officials today after calling for cultural understanding about Haas’ drunken outburst against police and suggesting he shouldn’t be suspended from the game.

Payne Haas outside court on Thursday. Picture: Steve Holland

“While it is clear I am not suggesting that the majority of police are racist, it is true that people from some cultural backgrounds have sometimes had a history of distrust of the police which involves members of their family and their community and it can influence the way that they respond to police authority,” she told The Daily Telegraph.

“I am certainly not suggesting that this was racially motivated in any way, or that the majority of police in Australia are racist.

“But there is a history in some communities of having multiple adverse encounters with police and they may respond different to police authority than someone from an Anglo background. I do think that we need to be aware of that.

“The guy obviously felt really, really bad about it. I reckon nothing further should happen and I just applaud him for showing genuine remorse and apologising.”

Court documents revealed the Broncos star who earns $500,000-a-season told a female officer “Cause you’re a woman you think I won’t touch ya”, told police he could “take youse all on myself” and dared them to taser him. Haas escaped conviction on Thursday over the January 16 confrontation at Tweed Heads.

Dr Lumby appeared on radio this morning following criticism of the remarks from NRL Chief Executive Officer Andrew Abdo, NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller and NSW Police Minister David Elliott, telling 2GB’s Ben Fordham Haas’ behaviour was “outrageous.”

Dr Catharine Lumby

NRL CEO Andrew Abdo. Picture: Dan Himbrechts

“It’s very clear what (Haas) said was wrong, it was very offensive, that’s why he landed in court, I was pleased he was remorseful, it was outrageous,” Dr Lumby said.

“I will stand by that I believe people in certain cultures… sometimes have had experiences in the community which were adverse with police,” she said.

“I’m not saying police today go around being racist… but I stand by the broader point. If you listen to the whole conversation… I don’t think there’s a problem (with the comments).”

Earlier on Friday, Mr Abdo sought to distance the NRL from Dr Lumby and her remarks,

“We’ve never had this interesting title or interesting role. We’ve never had a Chief Gender Adviser,” he said.

“She’s not employed by the NRL, and she’s certainly not a spokesman for the NRL … she has provided advisory work to us in the past.”

Mr Abdo said Dr Lumby’s comments had come “in a personal capacity.” He stopped short of confirming she would be dismissed but said the NRL was “reviewing” changes to welfare and education advisory.

Dr Lumby also set the record straight on her employment and told 2GB she believed she’d keep her job.

“I don’t represent the NRL, I am an independent pro bono advisor… I often disagree with what they have to say as they often disagree with me,” she said on air.

“Once I have the chance to speak to Andrew and put my comments into context, it’ll be fine.”

Mr Abdo revealed on Monday the NRL will be “taking the appropriate action” in disciplining Haas.

“There’s no excuse for Payne’s conduct. It’s fair to say he’ll be facing sanctions.”

It’s not the first time Dr Lumby has been embroiled in controversy in her role after two Canterbury Bulldogs players were embroiled in a schoolgirl sex scandal on the mid-north coast last year.

“This is not a sex scandal, this is a workplace conduct issue”, she said at the time.

“they have done nothing criminal as far as we know”.

“Women over the age of consent are allowed to have sex, and plenty of them do,” Dr Lumby told The Daily Telegraph.