Melbourne Storm cancels Welcome to Country amid controversy

Melbourne Storm faced strong criticism after cancelling a planned Welcome to Country ceremony just hours before their Anzac Day NRL match, leaving Indigenous elders and performers feeling disrespected and 'broken-hearted.' The club later reversed its decision and apologized, but the scheduled Indigenous groups declined to proceed with their performances, citing the emotional impact and disrespect caused by the miscommunication. The incident occurred amid heightened tensions, as earlier that day, neo-Nazi agitators had disrupted a Welcome to Country at Melbourne's Anzac Day dawn service, prompting condemnation from veterans’ groups and Indigenous leaders. The Storm stated the cancellation was due to a 'miscommunication of expectations' regarding Welcome to Country ceremonies at their events, though Indigenous representatives criticized the episode as 'hurtful, deceitful and tokenistic.' Elders expressed a desire to rebuild their relationship with the club and emphasized the importance of such acknowledgments at major events. The broader issue highlighted divisions within Australia over the role and reception of Welcome to Country ceremonies at public gatherings.