Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to speak about racism against the Fitzroy Stars netball team. After a recent match, a player from an opposing club directed racist abuse at Stars players, using the phrase 'you people' before making monkey noises and beating their chest in imitation of an ape. The matter went to an all-white tribunal, all blokes, and the player was found not guilty. Horrifically, the young Aboriginal women who experienced the abuse were then required to re-enact the incident in front of the tribunal. It's unbelievable that Aboriginal players were made to re-enact racism against them just to be believed. Our people should be able to step onto a court, play the game they love and know they will be treated with fairness and respect.

Fitzroy Stars is not just another sporting club to me; it's part of my life. I started playing with the Stars when I was 10 years old and spent all my juniors there. My nan was a timekeeper at the club, and I've played on those very courts where this happened. I stand with the players and the whole Fitzroy Stars community. Community sport should bring people together, not reproduce the racism our people have been fighting for generations. The sporting fields are meant to be level, equal playing fields.

We talk about racism and standing up against racism. When will racism end? All of our babies are not born racist; they learn it. So stamp out racism once and for all, and allow people to live their lives without being treated differently and badly, which ultimately causes so much harm to us.