Neil Winmar Statue Removed from Perth Stadium After Assault Conviction

The statue of former AFL player Neil Elvis "Nicky" Winmar has been taken down at Perth Stadium less than two days after a Victorian court found him guilty of assaulting a woman.

The bronze statue was unveiled in July 2019, in the lead-up to NAIDOC Week and as a symbol against racism in the AFL — seven years later, it was removed on the first day of NAIDOC week.

The bronze statue was taken down by a crane, and a crew of roughly six people, around 6:45am on Sunday local time after the WA Premier Roger Cook ordered its removal on Friday.

A spokesperson for VenuesWest — which owns and manages sport venues on behalf of the state government — said a decision on what would happen with the statue hadn't been made.

"The statue will be securely stored while its future is considered," they said.

"As per the premier's direction and in consultation with the AFL, VenuesWest can confirm that the Nicky Winmar statue has been removed."

On Friday, a Bendigo Magistrate found Winmar guilty of assaulting a woman in northern Victoria in 2025.

The court heard the woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was "fearful" for her life, as Winmar dragged her by the hair and smashed her head against a wooden door four times.

'Never acceptable'

In response, Premier Cook directed VenuesWest to remove the statue, stating violence against women was "never acceptable" and it was "important we send a strong message to the community".

On Sunday, WA cabinet minister John Carey said the statue's withdrawal had nothing to do with the start of NAIDOC Week, or the former player's actions against racism in the AFL.

"It is not about race, it is about the fact that he was found guilty … of violence against a woman,” he said.

"This was violence, it's unacceptable … the premier has made it a very clear message and I think the majority of West Australians will support this decision."

The sculpture was unveiled in 2019, immortalising the moment the Noongar man raised his St Kilda guernsey and pointed to his skin after facing racial abuse from spectators during an AFL match against Collingwood at Victoria Park in 1993.

The unveiling ceremony took place before the 50th Western Derby and in the lead-up to NAIDOC Week.

When the statue was erected, then-premier Mark McGowan said the it would "serve as a reminder that racism has no place in sport, or in society generally".

At the time, the WA government described it as a "powerful symbol of Aboriginal pride and opposition to racism in Australian sport".

The statue was commissioned by the AFL and produced by Melbourne sculptor Louis Laumen with the help of a crowdfunding campaign.

The interaction the statue depicts was considered to be one of the most important moments in the AFL's history, which partially contributed to the introduction of the codes anti-vilification laws.

NAIDOC Week runs from July 5 to July 12 this year.