Melbourne Storm pay heavy price for Welcome to Country snub as major partner drops NRL club

The Melbourne Storm have paid a huge price for their last-minute axing of a Welcome to Country, as a major partner cuts ties.

The Melbourne Storm have paid a huge price for their last-minute axing of the Welcome to Country ceremony at their NRL Anzac Day fixture, with major partner Victorian Aboriginal Health Services (VAHS) cutting ties with the NRL club.

The decision comes after the traditional Welcome to Country was not performed on Anzac Day.

In response VAHS announced they would no longer partner with Melbourne due to the club’s “lack of respect and cultural sensitivity”.

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The partnership included the Deadly Choices program, an initiative with the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health.

While also as a result of the breakdown, VAHS will no longer be a Community outlet for tickets to NRL Indigenous Round, Storm home games, and will immediately stop organising local Koori children to play during halftime exhibition games.

“The Victorian Aboriginal Health Service has made the difficult decision to withdraw our partnership on the Deadly Choices campaign with Melbourne Storm, effective immediately,” VAHS’ statement on Thursday read.

The Melbourne Storm have lost a major partner over the club's Welcome to Country snub. Image: Getty

“Our decision is directly related to the Melbourne Storm Board’s decision to cancel Aunty Joy’s Welcome to Country at the Anzac Day match. Storm vs. Rabbitohs.

“This decision directly had a hurtful impact on Aunty Joy, the Djirri Djirri dancers, and the Wurundjeri People. We are mindful that the negative ripple effect was also felt by Aboriginal people across Naarm, the state, and the nation.

“The decision made by the Melbourne Storm Board demonstrated a lack of respect and cultural sensitivity towards Aboriginal people and Communities, specifically in relation to the treatment and recognition of Aunty Joy and the Wurundjeri People, particularly their cultural protocols and practices.

“Such an action is inconsistent with our values of respect, cultural integrity and cultural safety. The decision has initiated poor wellbeing, including feelings of sadness and anger among our Community and stakeholders.

“Our organisation is dedicated to fostering respectful, inclusive and culturally safe environments for Aboriginal People, and unfortunately, the actions and decisions taken by the Melbourne Storm Board have compromised these principles.”

The Storm pulled their Welcome to Country ceremony at the last minute. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

VAHS’ decision comes after Storm chairman Matt Tripp told The Age the club’s handling of the Welcome to Country situation had “upset him greatly” as he declared the whole thing was simply a miscommunication.

“Once we understood the programming from management, we gave the green light to progress. By then, it was understandably too late for those who had already been informed of our earlier decision,” Tripp said, citing a lack of clarity between the board and management for the confusion.

He explained: “It (the incident) has disappointed me beyond words.

“I am acutely aware of the many different cultures and races we have involved in our football club and our supporter base.

“Like I do with anything within the club, I guard that with my life and I want to protect that at all costs.

“To have a miscommunication deem us as non-sensitive to Welcome to Country and beyond that, a part of Australian customs, that has upset me greatly.”

Originally published as Melbourne Storm pay heavy price for Welcome to Country snub as major partner drops NRL club