AFL Mob Breakfast

The Hon. J.E. HANSON (15:09): My question is also to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs. Will the minister inform the chamber about the 2024 AFL Mob Breakfast, held during Gather Round?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (15:09): I thank the honourable member for his question. As many of us in this chamber will fondly remember, Gather Round was held in Adelaide in early April. I know that, as I look around, I saw many members of this chamber partaking in the many great events that Adelaide had during Gather Round. The city really came alive.

One of the new events at Gather Round that I very much hope is continued, which I had the pleasure of being invited to speak at, was on Saturday 6 April, the inaugural AFL Mob Breakfast, an event for all Aboriginal and multicultural AFL and AFLW players, staff and coaches. Hosted by the AFL's national Indigenous and multicultural engagement manager, Mr Pauly Vandenbergh, the breakfast was a valuable opportunity to bring people together from different clubs and competitions in the same location to discuss and celebrate in particular the contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians to our national game.

I would like to take this opportunity to highlight the important role that Pauly Vandenbergh has played in our community through directing and managing educational sporting programs for Aboriginal children and young people. He has done this through his position as a founding and continuing board member for the Tjindu Foundation, as well as his previous roles as manager and director for Aboriginal programs at the Port Adelaide Football Club. Through these programs Pauly has helped create and manage, he has promoted the importance of leadership, health and wellbeing initiatives to ensure better education and employment prospects for some of our state's most vulnerable children, which is an incredible feat on its own.

The room at the Mob Breakfast during Gather Round was filled with many significant people who have been involved in the game and who continue to inspire up-and-coming generations, people like Michael Long, Eddie Betts, Shaun Burgoyne, Gavin Wanganeen, Shane Edwards, as well as many others, and current generations of players, including Shai Bolton, Bradley Hill, Chad Wingard, Jamarra Ugle-Hagan and many more.

The morning was started by Cliffy Wilson welcoming people to his people's country in both English and the Kaurna language. Cliffy continued to highlight the strong connection Kaurna people have with this land and pointed out it wasn't far from where the breakfast was being held that the Aboriginal flag was flown for the first time in 1971. It was a proud moment to be sitting there with not just incredible athletes but role models, who through football have made a significant contribution to changing our understanding of society and how Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people relate.

We heard from the executive manager for inclusion and social policy at the AFL, a former South Australian of the Year and Torres Strait Islander woman, Tanya Hosch, who continues to inspire not just me but I think all people in the room with her passion and drive for social justice. I had the privilege of saying a few words about the implementation of our state-based Voice to Parliament, as well as touching on the incredible work that past and current players have had in paving the way for young Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander boys and girls to take part in sports, which has a huge benefit to them, their health, their community and their education.

The Mob Breakfast presented the perfect occasion to announce the 2024 Sir Doug Nicholls Round honouree, proud Arrernte man Sonny Morey. Sonny Morey was born at Yambah Station in 1945. At around seven years of age, Sonny remembers being taken from his mother, who he never saw again. It was only decades later Sonny learned of his mother's lifelong efforts to find him.

Sonny started playing football competitively at the age of 15 and was part of the first Central Districts side when they were admitted to the SANFL league in 1964. Sonny played 213 games for Central Districts between 1964 and 1977, becoming the first player to reach 200 games for the club, receiving a best and fairest, a runner-up for the Magarey Medal, as well as being selected as part of the SANFL Indigenous Team of the Century. There are not many as deserving as Sonny Morey to be honoured during this year's AFL Sir Douglas Nicholls Round.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the organisers for an incredible morning, the AFL for their continued work in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and those players who, no matter what adversity they face, continue to show up, entertain, inspire and change our nation.