WA premier orders Nicky Winmar statue removal after assault conviction
Western Australia will remove the Nicky Winmar statue from Perth Stadium after the former AFL star’s assault conviction, prompting debate over symbolism, accountability and Indigenous representation.
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Western Australia has ordered the removal of the Nicky Winmar statue at Perth Stadium after the former AFL player was found guilty of assaulting a woman in Victoria. The move has triggered debate over whether a monument tied to an iconic anti-racism moment should remain in place after the conviction.
The bronze statue was unveiled in 2019 to honour Winmar’s famous 1993 stance against racial abuse, when he lifted his St Kilda guernsey and pointed to his skin during an AFL match. That image became one of the most recognised symbols in Australian sport, and the statue was meant to reflect that legacy.
WA Premier Roger Cook said violence against women is never acceptable and argued that the statue was no longer appropriate to display after the court finding. He said VenuesWest had been instructed to take it down, while the venue operator later said removal arrangements were underway in collaboration with AFL Venues.
VenuesWest did not give a firm timetable for the removal, saying only that work was in progress. The uncertainty around the timing has left the issue open for further public discussion even as the government has made its position clear.
VenuesWest did not give a firm timetable for the removal, saying only that work was in progress. The uncertainty around the timing has left the issue open for further public discussion even as the government has made its position clear.
Winmar had faced three counts of unlawful assault and common law assault, and he was acquitted of a fourth charge of intentionally causing injury. The case is set to return to court in August for a pre-sentence hearing.
The controversy highlights the tension between public remembrance and personal conduct. For many Australians, Winmar’s 1993 gesture remains a landmark anti-racism statement, but the latest decision shows how quickly a public honour can become politically and socially contested.
Comments and reaction
Cook’s comments were direct and moral in tone, framing the decision around public standards and the need to send a message about violence against women. That language places the government’s response in the broader context of accountability, not sports heritage alone.
The court matter itself has also drawn attention to the woman involved, who told Bendigo Magistrates’ Court that she felt fearful for her safety during the incident. Her account adds a personal dimension to a story that is otherwise centred on a public monument and a well-known sporting figure.
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