THE former head of the Mallee’s peak indigenous body has been appointed to an independent panel investigating allegations of racism referred to the AFL by the Hawthorn Football Club.
Jacki Turfrey left her role as chief executive with Mallee District Aboriginal Services in late September.
The AFL released a statement on Wednesday, saying that it “has commissioned the independent investigation into allegations of bullying, misconduct and/or other inappropriate conduct by the Hawthorn Football Club (including by its coaches, football operations staff, independent contractors, management and/or board) towards some players on its playing list between 2008 and 2016 and in particular towards First Nations players, their families and/or their intimate partners”.
It said Ms Turfrey was one of four lawyers appointed to investigate the allegations, which have rocked the football world and caused former Hawthorn coaching figures Alistair Clarkson and Chris Fagan to step aside from their current roles at North Melbourne and Brisbane respectively.
Ms Turfrey will be joined on the panel by KC Bernard Quinn, as well as Tim Goodwin and Julie Buxton.
The AFL says they are due to report back in December and that its expects that report, including findings and recommendations, to be made public.
In its statement, the league described Ms Turfrey as a “barrister with extensive experience practising across multiple areas in commercial litigation and practises across all areas of criminal law, including in the appellate jurisdiction, Koori Courts and the Children’s Court”.
It notes that she is a Palawa woman (Tasmania), and that she practises Family Law in the Children’s Court.
It says Mr Goodwin is a member of the Yuin people of coastal New South Wales, and that Ms Buxton was the recipient of the 2016 Churchill Fellowship “to study international models of truth-telling and reconciliation with indigenous peoples”.
Mr Quinn is a leading Victorian King’s Counsel who has royal commission (Black Saturday bushfire) and coronial inquest experience and was previously an associate to Justice Michael Kirby of the High Court of Australia.
AFL General Counsel Andrew Dillon said the “very serious allegations” warranted an independent investigation.
“It is important that we have an independent panel that is able to hear the perspectives of all involved and to provide natural justice to those making the claims and those who have had claims made against them,” he said.
“It is also vitally important that the panel is able to complete its work independently of the AFL.”
