The AFL has appointed a four-person panel to investigate allegations of racism regarding some former Hawthorn Football Club officials, with a report back expected in December.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the league announced it had appointed senior lawyer Bernard Quinn KC to lead the independent investigation and will be joined by barristers Jacqualyn Turfrey, Tim Goodwin and Julie Buxton.
The investigation, the AFL says, relates “to 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.”
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AFL General Counsel Andrew Dillon said the panel would handle “very serious allegations” and afford “natural justice to those making the claims and those who have had claims made against them.”
“It is also vitally important that the panel is able to complete its work independently of the AFL.
“Bernard Quinn KC, the chair of the independent investigation and panel members Jacqualyn Turfrey, Julie Buxton and Tim Goodwin are all eminently qualified barristers that will be able to provide their intellect and significant expertise to the process.
“The four-person panel, with their diverse backgrounds including in respect of Ms Turfrey and Mr Goodwin as First Nations persons will also have the ability to bring in additional outside expertise, whether that be in cultural safety, football administration or any other area the panel believes extra resource is needed.”
The AFL also revealed it “does not know the identities of the persons / families who have recalled their accounts within the Hawthorn Football Club review or with the journalist who published those accounts.”
“The AFL has repeatedly requested this information from their lawyers to assist in the good conduct of the investigation and related processes, which has been declined.”
The panel will be assisted by law firm Gordon Legal, at which former Western Bulldogs president Peter Gordon is a Senior Partner.
