The AFL and Rugby Australia have become the latest Australian sporting codes to declare support for the yes vote, with both organisations making clear their positions on the Indigenous voice to parliament referendum on Thursday.
In a full-page advertisement taken out in the Nine newspapers, a statement endorsed by RA’s board said it was time to institute a “level playing field” for First Nations people.
The AFL followed suit shortly after, encouraging all involved in the game to seek information on the referendum, and confirming the organisation “proudly supports the recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Australian constitution”.
“The AFL is privileged to have a long history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership in our game, from the grassroots in every state and territory, through to the AFL and AFLW competitions,” an AFL statement read.
“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players have long made a stellar contribution on the footy field. Their off-field contributions are equally valued for the impact they have made on our game and our community.
“While we encourage everyone to seek the information they need to form their own views on the referendum, the AFL proudly supports the recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Australian constitution through the voice to parliament.”
RA’s release carried the headline: “The voice is not about division. It’s about union.”
“If we’re ever going to achieve true union as a nation, we must take every opportunity we have to close the gap which still separates so many of us,” the statement read. “Provision for an Indigenous voice to parliament in our constitution is long overdue. Let’s get it over the line.”
Commonwealth Games Australia also announced it would be advocating for the yes campaign.
“We are committed to taking part in the process, educating ourselves on how this much-needed change to the constitution of Australia intends to enhance the lives of First Nations Australians,” CGA president Ben Houston said at a members’ forum on Thursday.
With the announcements, the AFL, RA and CGA join the NRL and Australian Olympic Committee in explicitly supporting the yes vote, while Football Australia and Tennis Australia have expressed their support for the Uluru statement from the heart, of which the voice is the first component.
It leaves the country’s cricket and netball organisations as the only major sporting bodies to have not committed to a position. Both Cricket Australia and Netball Australia are conducting education processes about the referendum for players and staff.
The AFL and NRL hold their Indigenous rounds this week, and the architects of the Uluru statement from the heart, the Uluru dialogue, welcomed the latest additions to the growing list of sporting bodies to support the voice.
“AFL is among Australia’s most influential sporting codes,” Janine Coombs, Wotjoboluk woman and Uluru Dialogue representative, said. “This endorsement and this week’s Sir Doug Nicholls round will ensure the voice and recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples remains high on our nation’s agenda and in the hearts and minds of Australians.”
“We look forward to this week’s round of sport with the knowledge that the AFL, NRL and Rugby Australia are walking with First Peoples in a movement for a better future.”
Members of the RA board arrived at their position after internal discussions and engaging with various stakeholders, including its First Nations Committee.
“The bottom line is that our constitution still doesn’t recognise the First Peoples of Australia or give them the voice they deserve,” the statement said. “The playing field could still be more level.
“If we’re ever going to achieve true union as a nation, we must take every opportunity we have to close the gap which still separates so many of us. Provision for an Indigenous voice to parliament in our constitution is long overdue.”
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, hailed RA’s stance, and said Wednesday’s release was “quite a beautiful statement”.
“The ARU deserve I think a great deal of congratulations for doing that as well recognising how important Indigenous players and Indigenous culture has been for that code as well,” Albanese told SEN radio.
The date of the referendum is expected to be in October, not long after the AFL and NRL grand finals.
