Australian rapper Adam Briggs has penned an open letter to Melbourne Storm, slamming the NRL club over the apparent inconsistency in their support of First Nations people.
The self-confessed life-long Storm fan, known by his stage name of Briggs, has publicly revoked his support of the club over over its lack of action in opposition to one of its directors.
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According to the rapper, Storm board member and part-owner, Brett Ralph, was a major financial contributor to the No campaign during this month’s failed Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum, donating $75,000 to try to ensure it would not be enshrined in the Constitution.
Ralph invested in the fight against the constitutional change, which lost in a landslide vote, despite his club aligning publicly with the NRL’s unreserved support of the proposal.
The NRL was among 20 national sporting organisations that pledged their support for the Voice.
Briggs, who has worked with and performed for the NRL in the past, slammed the No campaign for being “built on politics, lies and misinformation”.
“My name is Adam Briggs. I’m a Yorta Yorta/Wurundjeri man from Shepparton, Victoria, currently residing on Wurundjeri country, the birthplace of my great grandfather. I am writing to inform you that I will be rescinding my support for the Melbourne Storm rugby league club,” he wrote in the letter.
“I have been a proud supporter of the Melbourne Storm since it was established, along with my father, Paul Briggs.
“My sadness and disappointment with the Storm stems from the board’s failure to unify in support for the Voice to Parliament. Both the NRL and Storm have big Polynesian, South Sea Islander and First Nations player participation on field which does not extend off field.”
Briggs says he first alerted the Storm to the sizeable donation from Ralph, who owns 20 per cent of the club, back on September 16.
“I brought to the attention of your CEO Justin Rodski that I was dismayed by the actions of one board member in particular. Brett Ralph’s sizable support for the ‘No’ campaign, which voted against my people’s inclusion in the Constitution,” he went on.
“Brett placed a sizable donation of $75,000 to the ‘No’ campaign a campaign built on politics, lies and misinformation. Brett Ralph did not just vote No — he sponsored No.
“A donation to ‘No’ was a donation to peddle and amplify misinformation and fear mongering against Indigenous people.
“The No campaign actively devalued my people and my Yorta Yorta/Wurundjeri identity. It has heightened the stereotypes of devaluing our contribution to the Australian society and nationhood, and enhanced the burden of irrelevance. In doing so, it added to the already endless workload of myself, my father, and the Indigenous community.”
It’s understood the Storm, Briggs and Ralph have organised a mediation meeting to discuss the matter.
But he has expressed his disappointed at the club’s failure to publicly acknowledge the significant donation.
“I ask the Melbourne Storm Board: does Brett Ralph’s decision as a Storm board member align with the club’s decision to support the ‘Yes’ campaign? Do Brett Ralph’s values align with those of the Storm at large, and can Melbourne Storm rugby league continue to support both Brett Ralph and the culture and identity of its First Nation people? I think not,” Briggs continued.
“It shouldn’t be about politics — it’s a humanitarian issue. A recognition of rights of our people. You’re not saying no to government, you have said no to us.
“I’m asking that the current and future board have the courage to do what’s right according to your stated values. In the meantime, the club no longer aligns with mine.”
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