Federal senator James Paterson has asked the Anti-Semitism Royal Commission to investigate the AFL after references to the Jewish community were removed from a pre-match tribute to the victims of the Bondi terror attack.
Sydney Swans chairman Andrew Pridham has apologised for the ‘omission’ as both teams came together before the AFL season opener between the Swans and Carlton on March 5.
There was no direct mention of the Jewish community in the speech given by Swans CEO Matthew Pavlich, with references allegedly removed after being included in a previous version of the script.
Swans legend turned commentator Gerard Healy revealed that references to the Jewish community had been removed from the script before the ceremony.
Now Paterson has written to the head of the Royal Commission, former High Court judge Virginia Bell, to ask that the AFL be asked to ‘preserve all documents and communications, including any correspondence with the Sydney Swans and any internal communications within the AFL, in relation to this matter’.
‘While the Sydney Swans chairman has apologised to the Jewish community, the reported involvement of AFL staff in this incident should be closely examined as part of the Commission’s inquiries into the nature and prevalence of anti-Semitism in Australia,’ Paterson wrote.
Pictured: Ahmed Al Ahmed salutes the crowd during the tribute to the victims of the Bondi terror attack before the Sydney Swans’ first match of the 2026 season
Swans CEO Matthew Pavlich’s speech during the tribute did not feature any references to the Jewish community
Senator James Paterson has written to the head of the Anti-Semitism Royal Commission in an effort to ensure the AFL is investigated over the omission during the tribute
The senator added that ‘excuses and deflections’ from the league will ‘not be good enough’, News Corp reported.
‘It is not an accident that the attack at Bondi occurred at a Jewish community event marking the first night of Chanukah nor that the overwhelming majority of victims were Jewish,’ Paterson wrote.
‘Erasing their Jewish identity, as it appears the AFL has sought to do, is a travesty and an insult to the families of the victims.’
Pridham addressed the issue during the chairman’s function before the Swans’ round-one clash with the Brisbane Lions on Saturday night.
‘I am grateful to journalist and former Swans star Gerard Healy, who called me yesterday to make me aware that our on-field tribute neglected to specifically name the Jewish community as the target of the Bondi shootings,’ Pridham said.
‘This was not intentional. We apologise for this omission. It was a Sydney Swans initiative, and a Swans-led event, and we take full responsibility.
‘The tribute was a genuine attempt to show compassion to everyone impacted by the terrible events on 14 December, and most of all the Jewish community.’
A prominent media commentator, Healy alleged on Friday the initial script had been changed to remove the word ‘Jew’ and references to the ‘Jewish’ community.
Swans chairman Andrew Pridham has apologised for the failure to mention the Jewish community before the match on March 5
Pictured: The Sydney and Carlton teams gather for the tribute prior to the match
On Saturday, AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon reinforced his support for the Jewish community during a series of radio interviews, but failed to clarify if the league played any role in the alleged change of script.
‘I don’t know the ins and outs of scripts,’ Dillon said on SEN.
‘Matthew (Pavlich) did a great job of hosting that ceremony.
‘It was the appropriate forum, and it paid tribute to the victims of a horrific attack on the Jewish community.’
