Definition of racism by Australian Human Rights Commission
"Racism is the process by which systems and policies, actions and attitudes create inequitable opportunities and outcomes for people based on race. Racism is more than just prejudice in thought or action. It occurs when this prejudice - whether individual or institutional - is accompanied by the power to discriminate against, oppress or limit the rights of others. "
Netball Australia has announced the line-up for its inaugural First Nations team set to debut at the Pacific Aus Sports Netball Series in Brisbane.
Held from June 10-15, the side features 12 Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander athletes from all over the country that will get to test their skills against international talent.
The other nations competing are yet to be announced, but previous editions have included Netball World Cup teams such as Tonga, Fiji, Singapore and Malawi.
The initiative aims to provide visibility and recognition of First Nations talent in Australia. At the Pacific Aus Sports Series, the team will operate as an invitational side, unable to tally official caps or World Netball points like their travelling opposition.
"I would have been thrilled to get an opportunity to play alongside my Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sisters in one team," Tucker-Munro said.
"To build and nurture connections with those amazing, like-minded women, I would have relished that and I think that's what is integral to this is.
"These players are not just connecting in a sport sense, but also in a cultural sense as empowered First Nations women that are role models within their families and community.
"I liken it to the All Stars concept we see in rugby league, running parallel to the existing pathway, where each year, players gather to fill up their spiritual and cultural cups before they go back to their regular NRL teams."
In March, she played a key part in helping them launch another initiative, the First Nations coaching course, designed to foster culturally safe spaces, promote collaboration opportunities and offer support to Indigenous coaches in the national and state set-ups.
The course runs six months from February to August and addresses the decades long inequity of First Nations high performance pathway coaches at the elite level.
These barriers have also been present in a playing sense, which was publicised nationwide in the wake of the Jemma Mi Mi incident during the 2020 Super Netball season, as well as Netball Australia's failure to protect Diamonds debutant Donnell Wallam in the controversial Hancock Prospecting sponsorship saga of 2022.
This new Australian First Nations team forms part of netball's Declaration of Commitment that the sport made to offer better support and opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
"Sometimes the only way to affect change is to go inside the tent and look for opportunities to influence, inform and drive change within," Tucker-Munro said.
"We've still got a long way to go as a sport, if anything this is just falling into lockstep with what other sports do at a national sporting level, with the NRL Indigenous All Stars and Cricket Australia's Indigenous XI.
"So we're just looking to create those same opportunities for women and girls in netball ... The north star here is to nurture the next generation of stars, the next blak Diamond, so it's going to take a collective mindset across the sport at all levels."
2024 Australian First Nations team
Tully Bethune, Wiradjuri (Victoria)
Olivia Clark, Kamilaroi (ACT)
Lily Cubby, Murrawari (QLD)
Kiera Heffernan, Pintupi-Luritja and Arrente (NT)
Tegan Holland, Kamilaroi (NSW)
Jamaica Jauncey, Yawuru (WA)
Scarlet Jauncey, Yawuru (WA)
Courtney Jones, Biripi (NSW)
Brook Lacey, Ewamian (QLD)
Brianna Martyn, Kulilli (QLD)
Jayden Molo, Wunyi (QLD)
Aaleya Turner, Kaurna (SA)