Vol. No. Vol. 2818No. 3427
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Wednesday, January 2016 Wednesday, March13, 4, 2026
BACK TO BUSINESS: The Wimmera Machinery Field Days will open today, after water from the weekend’s storms had to be pumped from the site, cancelling yesterday’s scheduled day-one events. Today’s extended hours give attendees the opportunity to make the most of the event, which features children’s entertainment including Paw Patrol, market stalls, exhibits, information and food and drink vendors from 8.30am to 7pm. Field Days committee member David Jochinke and president Harry Young are pictured at the site yesterday. Story, page 3. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
Rebuilding respect H
BY LAUREN HENRY
arrow-Balmoral Football Netball Club has broken its silence following a series of incidents – some proven, some alleged – involving club members in the past decade.
An ABC podcast ‘Hometown Boys’ about the 2016 rape of a Balmoral woman and ensuing court trials, guilty verdicts, and response from the town, followed by an ABC online article detailing allegations of further incidents of rape, assault and drink-spiking, have put the spotlight on the Southern Roos in the past month. Following the ABC reports, Horsham District Football Netball League board released a statement on Thursday, stating it was committed to ‘promoting safe, inclusive and respectful environments across all affiliated clubs’.
The HBFNC committee had declined to comment to the ABC, but yesterday issued a written response to questions from The Weekly Advertiser. The opening line of the statement read: “Harrow-Balmoral Football Netball Club acknowledges the events that occurred in 2016 involving a player of our club at that time. We reiterate clearly and unequivocally that we do not tolerate behaviour of this nature.” In its statement, the HDFNL board reaffirmed its ‘strong and ongoing commitments to the Communities of Respect and Equality Alliance, CoRE Alliance’. The CoRE Alliance, a Women’s Health Grampians program, is a partnership of organisations, businesses, clubs and groups who share ‘a vision for safe, equal and respectful communities in the Grampians region’. CoRE members commit to the CoRE
strategy to prevent violence against women and children, guiding ‘individual organisations and collective work fostering communities of respect, equality and preventing violence against women’. The alliance has 155 members across the Grampians region, including the HDFNL, and four of its clubs – Harrow-Balmoral; Laharum; NoradjuhaQuantong and Pimpinio. HBFNC’s statement addressed questions about its commitment to the alliance: “We recognise that meaningful cultural change requires time, reflection, strong leadership, and sustained effort. “We are committed to continuous improvement and to creating an environment where all members feel safe, supported and empowered to voice their concerns. “As a member of the CoRE Alliance,
we are determined to actively uphold and demonstrate the values of respect, equality, and accountability in everything we do. “Our priority remains fostering a safe, equal, and respectful environment for all players, members, and our broader community.” The HDFNL board said the league was committed to ongoing learning, reflection and practical action to prevent gendered violence and advance gender equality. “We recognise that cultural change takes time, strong leadership and consistent effort, and we are dedicated to playing our role in that,” the statement read. “Sporting clubs are central to community life. They shape attitudes, model behaviours and influence the next generation. “The HDFNL stands ready to sup-
port all clubs in building respectful cultures, implementing clear standards of behaviour and promoting zero tolerance for violence, discrimination and disrespect.” The board also acknowledged ‘the women and men who shared their lived experience of violence and harm’. “In rural and regional communities, speaking up can be particularly difficult. We commend those who do so in the hope of creating safer pathways for others and strengthening accountability across community settings,” the statement read. The board encouraged clubs to seek guidance, resources and support in strengthening respectful club culture – offering to work alongside them to provide practical assistance and connections to appropriate services. Continued page 3
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