A 1980s children’s TV star, who now sits on a government taskforce, has had her Aboriginality challenged in a claim before the Fair Work Commission.
Malinda Rutter, a former reporter on children’s show Simon Townsend’s World, is a member of the eight-person NSW government Aboriginal business taskforce alongside AFL legend Adam Goodes, which was announced in March.
She is currently defending an unfair dismissal claim brought against her Aboriginal filmmaking company company Blackfisch by her third cousin, Gomeroi knowledge keeper Matthew Priestley, who is known as Uncle Matt.
Uncle Matt alleges he and his niece, Gomeroi woman Mika-Rose Tyson, were unfairly dismissed in September last year when Ms Rutter allegedly told them to ‘f*** off back to the mission’, according to documents submitted to the Fair Work Commission (FWC).
Sky News reported that Ms Rutter admitted to telling Uncle Matt to ‘f*** off’ but denied saying, ‘back to the mission’ at a hearing before the FWC last month.
Ms Rutter reportedly had her Aboriginal heritage repeatedly questioned at the hearing.
‘My mother traced, as I said, part of her family to Bundjalung,’ Ms Rutter told the hearing.
‘There is a male side and there is a female side. I was told I had to identify as Gomeroi because you need to find the father’s side. My mother’s side is Bundjalung and also Gadigal.
Malinda Rutter (pictured), a former reporter on children’s show Simon Townsend’s World, is a member of the eight-person NSW government Aboriginal business taskforce alongside AFL legend Adam Goodes, which was announced in March
She is currently defending an unfair dismissal claim brought against her Aboriginal filmmaking company company Blackfisch by her third cousin, Gomeroi knowledge keeper Matthew Priestley, who is known as Uncle Matt (pictured: Ms Rutter in her TV heyday, second from right)
Uncle Matt (pictured)
‘That’s all I claim, but I associate with a lot of mobs all over the country that I know in association.’
Ms Rutter is reportedly defending the claim by arguing Uncle Matt and his niece were contractors, not employees, who voluntarily stopped working for Blackfisch.
A decision on the claim is yet to be handed down by the FWC.
Ms Rutter told Sky News it would be ‘inappropriate’ to comment on Uncle Matt’s claims before the FWC hands down a finding.
She co-founded Blackfisch in 2018 and is listed as a director on its website.
Ms Rutter has publicly claimed to be a Gomeroi woman, in addition to a Bundjalung, Gidhabal and Gilbal woman.
Uncle Matt worked as a consultant and director at Blackfisch. Healso starred in some of their campaigns for clients such as the NRMA.
The Daily Mail approached Ms Rutter for further comment.