Why council funding an Indigenous Rodeo Championship is controversial

A former Maroons player has urged a North Queensland council to back the annual Indigenous Rodeo Championships, after councillors nearly voted to refuse funding the event.

A Mount Isa Indigenous Rodeo Championship rider with a buckle he won at Quamby Rodeo in 2022. Picture: Peter Wallis

The Mount Isa Mayor has used her veto power to push through a council motion to offer $20,000 in sponsorship to the Mount Isa Indigenous Rodeo Championships after the vote was equally divided.

Former Indigenous Maroons player and councillor John Doyle advocated for the event during the Mount Isa City Council meeting, believing “Indigenous people need something to really be proud of”.

“I know there’s issues in the town and the community, I understand all that, but if we keep pushing it to the side and keep saying we don’t want to have these Indigenous events being showcased and put on the spotlight, then we’re going to be running around in the dark forever,” Cr Doyle said.

“We’re never going to find any way for us to move forward and be positive in our lives.”

Mayor Peta MacRae and real estate agent John Tully also supported the event, but the point of contention was that it will be held at the same time as the Mailman Express at the racecourse close by.

The Mailman Races is a time trial named in honour of Indigenous horse rider Wally Mailman, the father of actor Deborah Mailman, and has been a traditional part of the Mount Isa Rodeo festivities schedule in August.

A view of Buchanan Park Events Complex where the Mount Isa Rodeo is held. The Mount Isa racecourse is also visible in the background, where the Mailman Express will be held on the Thursday night of rodeo week. Picture: Scott Radford-Chisholm

For the third year the Indigenous Championships will be held at Buchanan Park next door on the Thursday night leading up to the main event on the weekend.

Councillors made up of deputy mayor Kim Coghlan, her brother James, and businessman Travis Crowther were against supporting it at the detriment of another community event.

Jockey Dan Ballard, declared a conflict of interest because of his role as race club vice president, and left the room during the discussion, which brought the votes down to three-three.

The late Queen Elizabeth meets businessman RM Williams and stockman Wally Mailman at the Stockman's Hall of Fame opening in May, 1988. Picture: News Limited

Mr Doyle said the Indigenous community needed the championship and something positive to be proud of, and he said Mr Mailman would have advocated it.

When the vote was split, Ms MacRae used her vote to pass the motion.

She attended both the Mailman Express and the Indigenous Championships last year where Jessica Mauboy performed, and she said both were well attended.

“It was a great avenue to support Indigenous culture, a fashion parade there, a lot of people travelled specifically for the Indigenous rodeo so I think there’s room to have both,” she said.

James Coghlan, an experienced race caller, said the Mailman Express celebrated one of the most celebrated Indigenous horsemen in Australian history, and that the Indigenous rodeo was being held in opposition of that.

“I think that’s wrong, the Mailman’s been around for a long time, it supports many of the community associations and groups,” he said.

“There’s plenty of time in that rodeo window for this event to be held.”

Deputy mayor Kim Coghlan said two events being held at the same time would also put more pressure on police and health services.

“I fully support the idea of an Indigenous rodeo but not on this night, it could be held anytime during the year,” she said.

“If it was moved … I would support it.”

Originally published as Why council funding an Indigenous Rodeo Championship is controversial