Senator Lidia Thorpe has shone a spotlight on more than $41 million in funding from the National Indigenous Australians Agency being given to the AFL and NRL.

At a Senate Estimates hearing this week the Gunnai, Gunditjmara and Djab Wurring independent senator for Victoria asked why "Black money" was being given to huge profitable corporate entities.

"NIAA gave $8.2 million to the AFL, $17.4 million to the Brisbane Broncos, $5 million to the (North Queensland) Cowboys, and $11 million to the NRL; totalling $41.6 million of Black money. Shame," she said.

"How are these programs designed and self-determined by First Peoples?"

A departmental official responded: "I don't have the precise details of the funding."

Senator Thorpe continued: "My question, with all due respect, is; our communities out there are dying, the most incarcerated, most suicidal, the sickest, the poorest people in our own country, and you are giving $41 million to the AFL, NRL, Brisbane Broncos, my point is, why are you doing this to our people?"

"Why are you giving our money - when we are struggling to survive out there, where are you giving this money to multi-million dollar corporations, which is what the AFL and NRL are? I am not dissing them, I am asking why NIAA are giving the money to these massive corporate entities while our people are dying on your watch? That is the question."

The NIAA is the government agency that is supposed to fund initiatives for First Peoples.

But huge amounts of their money go to the wrong places, like the $41.6 million to massively profitable sport corporations. I've asked them a simple question: 'why?' pic.twitter.com/Fjd6oRTqUC

— Senator Lidia Thorpe (@SenatorThorpe) June 28, 2024

Labor Senator Malarndirri McCarthy said "the answer has been provided to the senator, she may not like the answer but the answer has been provided".

"Well, it's genocide," Senator Thorpe replied.