The next time the GIANTS play at home this season is set to be a special occasion.
Not only will the GIANTS host the Swifts in the first NSW Derby of the season, but it will also mark the recognition and celebration of a two-week competition-wide Indigenous Round.
Indigenous Round has been a feature of the Suncorp Super Netball fixture since 2018 and the GIANTS have proudly worn a dress designed Krystal Dallinger of the Gamilaroi tribe on each occasion.
In 2021, the GIANTS have included permanent representation of the Indigenous culture and community on their dress, with a circular artwork sitting on the back of the top of dress representing a meeting place: signifying that the team comes together from different places and walks of life to do what they love.
The GIANTS will once again wear a specially-designed dress by Dallinger and will incorporate other match day activities into their round six home match.
Netball Australia, the Suncorp Super Netball League, the Origin Australian Diamonds and the Confident Girls Foundation are committed to reconciliation, within the netball community and beyond.
Netball’s 20 leadership entities signed a Declaration of Commitment late last year, pledging to take significant action to break down the barriers that have prevented Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players, coaches, umpires and administrators from flourishing in the sport.
A Steering Group has been formed to guide the Declaration of Commitment and work is underway to develop the First Nations Strategy Framework, which will support signatories with their engagement with our First Nations and address the challenges and barriers that First Nations peoples encounter in netball’s pathway and elite programs.
Steering Group member and former Australian Diamond Sharon Finnan-White OAM, a proud Dunghutti and Gumbaynggirr woman and member of Channel 9’s broadcast team in 2021, said Indigenous Round was an important part of the Suncorp Super Netball calendar.
"Many of us will be expecting this year's Indigenous Round to be bigger and better than 2020, and rightly so considering what happened last year - we as First Nations peoples want to see that actual progress is being made,” Finnan-White said.
"The formation of the Declaration of Commitment Steering Group is just the first step to enabling this progress and for First Nations voices to finally be heard. The current netball system must be redesigned to better meet the needs of our diverse First Nations communities and provide appropriate pathways for our players, coaches, umpires and administrators.”
"I am thrilled to be joining four strong and knowledgeable First Nations women on this Steering Group to support Netball Australia and the netball bodies who have pledged to uphold the Declaration of Commitment so our ways of knowing, being and doing are valued and respected. We now have a seat at the table."
Netball Australia Interim CEO Ron Steiner said the organisation remains committed to listening to and learning from First Nations peoples and enacting positive change.
“Our actions must speak louder than our words and are through this we are making a long-term commitment to change,” Steiner said.
“Indigenous Round is an important way that the sport of netball can recognise and celebrate First Nations peoples and cultures. This forms part of our commitments to reconciliation and to engaging more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in our community.”
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