VICTORIAN Premier Daniel Andrews has been challenged to include Mildura in future Australia Football League indigenous rounds, contrary to a push to hold all matches in Darwin.
Mildura councillor for economic development and tourism Mark Eckel said the Mildura South Regional Sporting Precinct (MSRSP) would be the ideal place to conduct future indigenous rounds.
“I disagree with the perspective that all future AFL indigenous rounds should be staged in Darwin due to the success of this year’s COVID-19 game,” Cr Eckel said.
“Our indigenous community here in Mildura is at the crossroads with South Australia and NSW cultures.
“We can’t be denied that we are one of the most significant regions in Australia for indigenous culture.”
Cr Eckel said that as Mildura mayor in 2017 he visited the Korin Gamadji Institute, an indigenous education and training centre which is a globally recognised program that supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth and is supported by Richmond Football Club.
He said Richmond had also worked alongside the council’s development of the MSRSP and an indigenous round game in Mildura could be part of the return of the 2017 Return to Country commemorative event, which marked the long-awaited repatriation of Mungo Man.
“This was a deeply significant gathering for many people — indigenous communities gathered from around the region and from around the nation … to honour in song and ritual dance the return of this ancestral spirit.
“I recall Mungo Man repatriation representative Ben Bowler saying the Return to Country team was in the process of discerning how best to approach a return event and that would largely depend on the wishes of the Willandra Lakes World Heritage Area-Aboriginal Advisory Group together with the Mildura Rural City Council Aboriginal Advisory Committee.”
Cr Eckel said the Victorian Government’s commitment to bringing the AFL to regional Victoria in 2015 encouraged a NAB Challenge match between the Western Bulldogs and Melbourne in Ballarat.
He said he had been told the game brought $871,000 in spending to the local economy, including $360,000 from visitors.
“I once again challenge the Andrews Government to provide $10 million so we can finalise the addition of the football component in its entirety (at the MSRSP),” Cr Eckel said.
“Here is another opportunity to reward the Mildura municipality for their serious commitment and results in fighting COVID pandemic with only five cases in nearly six months,” he said.
