Hawthorn is being investigated by WorkSafe Victoria for its treatment of First Nations Players, as reported by The Herald Sunand The Age, as the fallout from the club’s cultural safety review continues.
WorkSafe Victoria will on Monday meet with key club figures at its Waverley Park home base after having already conducted several virtual meetings.
The investigation will run separately from the AFL’s looming external probe, with North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson and Brisbane boss Chris Fagan currently stood down from their respective roles while it takes place despite denying any wrongdoing.
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“WorkSafe is urging anyone who experienced or witnessed health and safety concerns at Hawthorn Football Club to contact WorkSafe to make a statement,” WorkSafe’s executive director of health and safety Dr Narelle Beer said in a statement.
“WorkSafe takes allegations of workplace bullying and discrimination very seriously and can take enforcement action when employers fail to protect the mental health of those in their workplace.
“Every Victorian worker, no matter their cultural background, has the right to a healthy and safe workplace.”
Hawthorn’s review, coupled with a report from ABC journalist Russell Jackson, details a number of disturbing allegations from Indigenous players on how they were treated during the club’s golden era under four-time premiership coach Clarkson.
They include claims of bullying and intimidation to separate players from their families, with one couple pressured to terminate their pregnancy.
It’s believed the Hawks’ review, authored by former Richmond player Phil Egan, was not among the documents given to WorkSafe Victoria.
The Age reported further allegations on Clarkson acting unreasonably towards current coach and former midfielder Sam Mitchell.
It comes after the Herald Sun’s Jon Ralph reported this week there’s deep reservations from the First Nations families who made the accusations to provide testimonies for the AFL’s official exteneral investigation, while the league is currently working through putting together a suitable four-person panel to probe the shock claims.
Speaking at Hawthorn’s best and fairest awards, club president Jeff Kennett said he did “not consider this to be a crisis” while taking aim at those who leaked the report to the ABC.
“We wanted them to tell their stories about their time at Hawthorn and since. But it wasn’t an inquiry in that sense. It was to make sure, as we always do, we put the welfare of our people first,” Kennett said.
“It was a story telling where those telling the stories asked for confidentiality. We respected that.
“Sadly they made a decision to talk to the press and sadly they named people with whom they had very real issues. That was unfair to those people, so therefore we need to have this resolved.
“I hope that all parties can come together in some form of mediation and it could be resolved before the end of the year so that people can get on with their lives and our players and our coaches can all focus on the thing we salute them for.”
