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City of Sydney councillor Yvonne Weldon reveals she is complainant in sexual assault case against Mick Mundine

Prominent Indigenous leader charged over alleged historical abuse of then-15-year-old in Redfern

By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time2 min
Sources5 outlets
City of Sydney councillor Yvonne Weldon has publicly confirmed she is the complainant at the centre of historical sexual assault charges against prominent Indigenous leader Mick Mundine, alleging he assaulted her in Redfern in 1986 when she was 15.

Mundine, 79, the chief executive of the Aboriginal Housing Company, was arrested on Thursday by the NSW Sex Crimes Squad and charged with two counts of sexual assault, including sexual assault of a person under the age of 16. The charges relate to an alleged incident in June 1986 in Redfern.

Weldon, a Labor councillor and the first Aboriginal person elected to the City of Sydney council, made the announcement in an Instagram post on Friday. "I have carried this for 40 years. It is time to no longer carry it," she wrote. "I came forward for the children who are here now and to break the culture of silence that allows abuse to continue. To other survivors of abuse in its many forms, you are not alone. It is never too late to speak up and seek support."

Weldon was appointed to the council in 2021, campaigning on social housing, greater representation of First Nations people, and a more inclusive city. A police strike force was established in December 2025 to investigate the allegations.

Mundine was questioned for several hours at Newtown Police Station before being charged. He was granted police bail and will face Downing Centre Local Court next Wednesday. His lawyer, Fahim Arya, confirmed he will fight the charges.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • The case involves a prominent Indigenous leader and a sitting councillor, drawing attention to historical abuse within communities.
  • Weldon's decision to speak publicly may encourage other survivors of abuse to come forward.
  • The legal process will test how authorities handle decades-old allegations.

Background

Yvonne Weldon is a City of Sydney councillor and the first Aboriginal person to serve on that council, elected in 2021. Mick Mundine is a well-known Sydney Indigenous leader and the chief executive of the Aboriginal Housing Company. A police strike force was established in December 2025 to investigate the allegations. The charges allege Mundine sexually assaulted Weldon when she was 15 in Redfern in June 1986.

Key Perspectives

Yvonne Weldon: She has spoken of carrying the trauma for 40 years and aims to break the culture of silence. She emphasised that it is never too late to speak up. Mick Mundine's legal team: Lawyer Fahim Arya has stated that Mundine will fight the charges. Mundine was granted bail and is presumed innocent until proven otherwise. Critics/Skeptics: Some may question the reliability of historical allegations, though the establishment of a dedicated strike force indicates police took the complaint seriously.

What to Watch

  • Mundine's first court appearance at Downing Centre Local Court next Wednesday.
  • Whether other survivors come forward in light of Weldon's public statement.
  • The progress of the police strike force investigation and any further charges.

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

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