Australia's elite netballers have expressed disappointment after discovering that a singer who performed at the Super Netball grand final had previously pleaded guilty to domestic violence charges. Siala Robson, a contestant on The Voice in 2020, was one of three Universal Music artists who entertained more than 15,000 fans during half-time at Rod Laver Arena on Saturday.
Robson appeared in a Queensland court last year, pleading guilty to two counts of assault occasioning bodily harm in a public place while adversely affected by an intoxicating substance. No conviction was recorded, but she was ordered to pay $1,000 in compensation and complete 60 hours of community service.
The Australian Netball Players' Association (ANPA) issued a statement on Friday, saying the decision had caused genuine hurt among players and undermined their commitment to ending domestic violence. Netball Australia acknowledged it was unaware of the offences before the event and relied on a third-party agency to supply the talent.
Netball Australia said it would immediately strengthen its event risk management protocols to prevent such an oversight from recurring. ANPA said it appreciated the governing body's commitment to ensuring the situation does not happen again.
