Aboriginal leader blasts Australian Open over ‘patronising’ discount tickets for Indigenous Aussies

Aboriginal leader Warren Mundine has lashed out at the Australian Open’s decision to give Indigenous fans a discount on tickets at the tournament’s inaugural First Nations Day on Wednesday.

The grand slam event has brought in a new ‘Mob pricing’ ticket category to mark the occasion, allowing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander spectators a $10 discount on ground passes.

Tennis Australia boss Craig Tilley explained that there is no vetting process in place to make sure the people who take advantage of the deal are of First Nations heritage.

Mundine called the policy divisive and said it adds to the incorrect impression that all Indigenous people are living in poverty. 

‘I just find this stuff patronising,’ he told Sky News.

Indigenous tennis icon Yvonne Goolagong Cawley and Ash Barty launched the tournament’s inaugural First Nations Day on Wednesday – but one aspect of the concept soon came under fire from an Aboriginal leader

Warren Mundine said the day’s $10 discount on tickets for Indigenous Australians is divisive, patronising, and fuels the stereotype that Aboriginal people are all poor

‘I’ve been to the Australian Open a number of times and I’ve met Aboriginal people who go to the Australian Open and watch the tennis, and guess what? 

‘They actually pay for their tickets and have been paying for them over a number of years because they’ve got this secret business stuff which is actually working and running your own business and making money so you can buy these tickets.’

Mundine added that the Open’s discount fuels the notion that ‘Aboriginals are so poor’ when in reality many First Nations people earn good money and will continue to do so as they get university educations.

He was joined in criticising the tournament’s new policy by Dr Bella d’Abrera of the Institute of Public Affairs.

‘Craig Tiley has won the grand slam for wokeness,’ she said.

‘The only thing that this kind of shallow virtue signalling achieves is to pit Australians against each other based on their race.’ 

Dr Bella d’Abrera of the Institute of Public Affairs slammed Tennis Australia for ‘pitting Australians against each other based on their race’ (pictured, Ash Barty has a hit with young players on centre court at the First Nations Day launch)  

Tiley explained that the discount is meant to make access to the tournament easier for all Aussies. 

‘We are an organisation and sport that promotes and also celebrates and champions inclusivity and diversity and equality. This is just part of our ongoing initiatives in making it accessible,’ he said. 

The First Nations Day was launched by Ash Barty on Wednesday morning, with the former world No.1 and Ngarigo woman joined by Indigenous tennis icon Yvonne Goolagong Cawley.

‘It’s so nice to be back here again, to see plenty of good kids coming out, kids from all over the country’ Barty said.

‘A day like today brings people together and I am happy to be here back on court hitting with yellow balls. It is few and far between these days.’