Price’s demand to sporting bodies amid Voice debate
The shadow minister for indigenous affairs has urged sports organizations to “stay out of politics” ahead of the Voice to Parliament referendum, claiming support for the yes campaign is “a major virtue signaling exercise”.
CLP Senator Jacinta Price says Collingwood Football Club needs to “stay the fuck out of politics” and stick to the sport. “I invite the Collingwood board members to take a trip to Yuendumu where the footy team are the Yuendumu Magpies where they have a long association with the Warlpiri people and instead ask those Warlpiri people exactly what they think of vote to decide that they know what is best for Indigenous Australians,” she told Sky News presenter Paul Murray. “Sports codes, clubs, they have to stay the fuck out of politics and stick to sport.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Labor government have worked with Australia’s key sports codes to expand the reach of the Yes campaign, a move that has been criticized for mixing sport and politics.
Senator Prince, who was among the critics, appeared in 2GB’s Ben Fordham on Thursday, where she claimed the effort was a “great exercise in virtue”.
“I seriously think sports laws should definitely stay out of politics, especially if they’re not in the details (of the vote), they don’t know what the circumstances are for a lot of Aboriginal people on the ground,” she said.
The shadow minister for indigenous affairs has urged sports organizations to “stay out of politics” ahead of the Voice to Parliament referendum. Image: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage
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“It is not their place to promote anything in this capacity.
“For me it is like a great exercise in virtue; it’s like the big massive tick in the box of their action plan for reconciliation because the government has suggested that’s the only way forward. But sport should stay out of politics.”
Senator Price said many Australians want to improve the lives of Indigenous Australians but the vote of Parliament will not change the issues.
“There’s a lot of goodwill from Australians and they’re saying, ‘We have to do something’ without really understanding what the needs are on the ground, what’s going on in remote communities and turning democracy on its head, we know it , as we know it, I would suggest that’s not the answer going forward,” she said.
Mr Albanese told Sky News Australia last month many sports codes had “supported recognition of Aboriginal people for a very long time”.
“Even before that, we will have the Indigenous rounds in both sports, which will be a celebration of Indigenous Australians and their contribution to those sports,” he said at the time.
Australia’s sporting codes are captured by ‘virtue signaling’ and ‘politics’
A memo was recently sent this week to all 18 AFL clubs asking them to comment on the proposed constitutional changes.
“As the AFL looks into this over the coming weeks, your advice on this will be gratefully received,” part of the memo reads.
“This information is being provided to provide guidance on language to help raise awareness of the referendum during the Sir Doug Nicholls round in 2023.”
Even before the memo was sent out, the Collingwood Magpies announced that the club’s board supported the yes vote.
Since the memo, the West Coast Eagles announced they would join the Pies in throwing their support behind the vote in Parliament.
Several of the country’s other major sporting codes, including NRL, Rugby Australia, Netball Australia, Football Australia, Cricket Australia and Tennis Australia, have also worked with the government in their yes campaign, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
‘Sound is everything’: Major sports codes engage in ‘Voice Yes’ campaign.
The Albanian government is reportedly aiming to hold the referendum in mid-October, just two weeks after the NRL and AFL grand finals, with both events potentially having a presentation to demonstrate their support for the yes vote in front of millions of viewers.
Meanwhile, Cricket NSW told SkyNews.com.au it “did not wish to comment” at this time.
Australia’s top Indigenous sports stars are also on the Prime Minister’s hit list to spearhead his yes campaign.
Mr Albanese admitted he would be “surprised” if a number of public figures did not support the referendum.
“I know from speaking to a number of past and present NRL and AFL players that they will actively voice their views in support of constitutional recognition,” he said.
“And I assume that not only they but also Tennis Australia supported us. Cricket Australia, all sports codes.”
NBA star Patty Mills, Olympic gold medalist Cathy Freeman, NRL star Jonathon Thurston, AFL legend Adam Goodes and tennis stars Evonne Goolagong-Cawley and Ash Barty are reportedly on his list, the Daily Telegraph reported.