James Merlino’s message to Hawthorn Members

James Merlino Speaks at Hawks For Change Rally

“Thanks Kate and everyone at Hawks for Change for the opportunity to speak at this Member rally.

My love for the Hawthorn Football Club, like so many Members, is a family story.

It began when my father got off the boat in 1961, having migrated from Italy. Uncle Joe, already established in Melbourne, in fact living near Glenferrie Oval, grabbed my dad and took him to see this strange indigenous game. Pretty soon, my dad was as Brown and Gold as Uncle Joe.

Uncle Joe loved John Peck, my dad, Peter Hudson.

I had the joy of growing up in the 1970’s and 80’s - games at Princes Park and Waverley - the Big Dipper’s raking left foot, the heroics and showmanship of Dermie. Platten…Dunstall…Ayres - the list goes on and on!

But more than that - football - our shared love of the Hawks - brought my extended migrant family together. Helped connect my dad, uncles and aunties to their new home in Australia. That is the incredible power of sport.

Because there were so many of us, finals, particularly grand finals, were major family gatherings - cousins, uncles, aunties - huddled around the old Retrovision tv at one of our homes - screaming, cheering, cursing. I always started on the floor because there were never enough seats, but my nerves meant I was on my feet pretty quickly.

The golden era.

Even when they all said we were too old and too slow in the new decade, we won the 1991 premiership. Such good times.

A few short years later, our club was at the brink of extinction. A savage turnaround in fortunes. A heartbreaking possibility.

I remember the resolve in our family to do everything we could to save our club. We weren’t rich, but we donated what we could.

Round 22, 1996 is seared into my memory. The raw emotion of the 63,000 fans who didn’t know if this was the last time they were ever going to see our beloved teams play. 10 goals to Dunstall including his 100th for the season, a one point victory over Melbourne to get into the finals, Langford’s defiant wave of his guernsey. There were many tears around the MCG that night, including mine.

In the end, Hawthorn Members came together and said no to the merger.

The fight moved from basic survival, to one of how do we grow and thrive? How do we ensure this never happens again?

One of the great heroes of our club, Ian Dicker, was fighting the AFL to retain Waverley for AFL games. He was, and remains, an inspiration.

I remember watching one of his countless interviews - Ian was everywhere! - passionately arguing for Hawthorn. And I thought to myself, I could do more to help, I wanted to do more.

I first met Ian when I was a local government councilor in the outer east and I became part of a group of councils that joined the Hawks and lobbied the AFL and the State Government to save Waverley Park. Public meetings, media events, direct lobbying - you name it.

In the end we didn’t win that battle. But our collective voice was so great, Ian secured Waverley as our new home at a $1 peppercorn rent. It was a massive win for our club and set us up as one of the powerhouses of the AFL in the new century. We owe Ian a great debt of gratitude.

And I am proud that Ian nominated me for this role.

So our club grew. And we saw success in 2008 and the glorious “three-peat”. My daughter Emma, another Hawthorn tragic, now has wonderful childhood memories of her own.

I’m talking to you today, with the same resolve I had 25 years ago.

Our club is facing some serious challenges, and I’ve found myself thinking again, I can do more to help. I want to do more to help.

Over recent years there have been what I consider red flags.

From a beloved player, Cyril Rioli leaving the club, and not wanting anything to do with the place; to the recent harrowing reports of indigenous former players and their families, that is now the subject of an independent AFL investigation. We cannot claim to be the “family club” if former players and their families feel this way.

Our club survived and thrived, post merger, off the backs of ordinary members. Volunteers who hit the phones and drummed up memberships, who helped run the club, people who dug deep into their own pockets. It was truly a Member focused club. And we were the better for it.

Today, there is a disconnect with Members. The club is like a closed shop, fearful of it’s Members.

How else do you explain an election process that is completely hidden from Members? My kid’s local softball club is better at communicating the opening and closing of nominations and encouraging Members to get involved, than the Hawthorn Football Club. It’s not good enough. We should be encouraging people to get involved.

How else do you explain the Chair of the Nominations Committee for the Presidency, becoming Jeff Kennett’s nominee for the Presidency?

These red flags point to concerns of many Members when it comes to diversity, culture and governance at our club.

At this point I want to be crystal clear with everyone listening. I am fully supportive of the football program under the leadership of Bec and Sam. The playing culture being developed, the youth policy being pursued, the development of leaders - through our men’s and women’s teams is truly exciting.

But successful culture is two sides of the same coin - on-field and off-field. You have got to get both right. Bec and Sam have it well in hand on the playing side.

There is work to do off-field. If we don’t, we are tying one hand behind the football department’s back.

I also want to be clear that there are wonderful people right now working at the club or volunteering on the Board.

I’m simply concerned about elements of our club and I want to help. I’m not here to attack, or to wreck. With your support, I will work positively and constructively with the entire Board to make our club even better.

After a 20 year parliamentary career including as Deputy Premier and stints as Minister for Sport, Education and Mental Health, I’ve now got the time, passion, skills and experience to help.

I want to talk about diversity and my values.

Women make up half of our playing list and half of our supporter base. The Cabinet I was a senior member of required at least 50% female representation. As do our government boards. It is a powerful and transformational policy.

That’s why I personally support Maria Lui’s nomination for the Board and encourage everyone to do the same. It’s why I also support a standing nominations committee and a resolve to deliver a gender diverse Board that is reflective of the Hawthorn community it serves.

I also come from the only jurisdiction in the country pursuing Treaty with our First Nations people. As Minister for Education I worked closely with the Victorian Aboriginal Education Association to support Koorie students and ensure all schools are culturally safe.

More than 10% of AFL players and 5% of AFLW players are indigenous.

That’s why I’m committed to see real and permanent positive change for our indigenous players in the AFL, and their families. That must include an immediate, transparent, effective and compassionate response to the independent AFL investigation. And Board representation.

All eyes are on Hawthorn, and rightly so. We must get this right.

The Kennedy Community Centre is an incredibly exciting next chapter for the club, that will set us up for the next 50 years. Elite facilities for our women and men. Brilliant opportunities for community engagement. But to make it a reality you have to work effectively with all levels of government - local, state and federal. I will direct all of my experience and understanding of government to get this project up and running.

I unequivocally support a new team for Tassie. It will be a wonderful thing for that footy mad state. I’m also committed to supporting our own Tassie Members and delivering as much exposure to our AFL and AFLW Hawks as we can.

I’m also very supportive of the club’s divestment of it’s pokies. A great move.

These two positive developments point to the next major challenge for our club. Sustainable, alternative sources of revenue. The financial disaster of the mid-90s is always front of mind. Again, we must get this right. We cannot, as a community, sit on the sidelines. We know where this leads if we don’t act.

In closing, success requires all of our club coming together. A united Board. A football program pursuing excellence. A strong, engaged and harnessed membership.

That’s why I support Andy Gowers as the next President of our great club. A premiership player, a director of the club during our most recent golden era, and a successful business person. He will bring both passion and a uniting influence that our club needs.

Ed also brings great experience and connection to the Box Hill Hawks. He has spoken about passionately about how far we have moved from the Family Club.

Our Members want success; but they also want to be proud of our club; they want our club to be respected in the football and wider community.

This Friday, voting commences. I ask for your support. I ask you to support Andy, Ed and Maria. Let’s give our club back to its Members.

Thank you.”

James Merlino