• ACCIONA was a proud sponsor of the Treaty Basketball Carnival held on Sunday, 18 September 2022, at the brand new Narrandjeri Stadium in Thornbury. (Narrandjeri means Woman Leader.)

The carnival included two basketball games, with the main event featuring Team Treaty vs. Koorie Academy All Stars, following a curtain raiser between U10 Indigenous kids. The day also featured a smoking ceremony and Welcome to Country, traditional dancers, the anthem in traditional language, door prizes, and an after-game function.

Koori Academy Basketball chief executive Ricky Baldwin thanked ACCIONA, among others, for supporting the Koorie Academy. “We had a great community vibe with lots of smiling faces.”

Community Comes Together for Treaty at Inaugural Victorian Basketball Competition

By Tamati Smith, National Indigenous Times, 24 September 2022

Koorie Academy won Victoria’s Treaty Cup 51 to 47 in a tight tussle against Team Treaty on a star-studded court in Bendigo.

Koori Academy Basketball and the First People’s Assembly of Victoria hosted the inaugural Treaty Cup with the Koori Academy All Stars up against Team Treaty on September 18.

The day was run as you would expect any Indigenous carnival, with aunties working on the barbecues to feed the crowd of people gathered to watch their younger children, nieces, nephews and grannies.

Ex-NBL star Dave Simmons was busy engaging with wide-eyed young children at the event, his imposingly tall stature was overshadowed by his extremely gentle attitude and pleasant smile.

Dancer, artist, photographer and poet Luke Currie-Richardson said it was important to see community come together in the wake of a trying time.

“It’s nice to see the people involved in this community, whether it’s culturally or in the sports world; like, I grew up playing basketball,” he said.

“I find that we’re always gathering when it’s a protest or when it’s a big funeral, you know.

“Especially in recent times, with the loss of two great legends in our community. It’s nice to come together with joy and fun behind it.”

When asked how he performed during the match, Richardson said he “top-scored in high fives”.

Also in attendance during the day was ex-Essendon star Nathan Murray-Lovett.

Murray-Lovett played against his son, who has been mentored through the Koori Basketball Academy.

Koori Academy Basketball chief executive Ricky Baldwin said the day was a special way to mark the importance of a Treaty for Indigenous people in Victoria and Australia.

“Today, we partnered with Treaty to have the first ever Koori Academy All-Stars versus Treaty,” he said.

“It was great to see so many elders and present some awards to elders.

“Then to have the whole community here and the Bandoc Tati Dancers.”

“Brianna Lee singing the national anthem in language. You know, just a deadly day for community.”

Baldwin said a Treaty would recognise that sovereignty had never been ceded in Australia.