Al-anwar Newspaper English news in Australia
Anthony Albanese’s beloved South Sydney Rabbitohs say they will consult players before taking a public stance on the Voice as the prime minister says he expects sports stars to get behind the referendum. Albanese said he would be surprised if Australians did not see a range of sporting figures advocating for an Indigenous Voice to parliament. AFL icon Adam Goodes and former NRL star Johnathan Thurston are among Indigenous stars being discussed as ambassadors.
“I know from speaking to a number of NRL and AFL players, both past and present, that they will be active in putting their views in support of constitutional recognition,” Albanese said.
“And I expect that not just them, but Tennis Australia have been supportive, Cricket Australia, all of the sporting codes, the basketball organisation, [Australian NBA star] Patty Mills has been out there campaigning.”
The Rabbitohs – of which Albanese is a high-profile supporter and former board member – is consulting on its stance.
South Sydney CEO Blake Solly said: “We’re consulting our board, staff and players and we’ll announce a position closer to the referendum.”
Albanese led the Rabbitohs’ team song in the sheds after their Good Friday win over Canterbury, while stars Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker rank among the NRL’s most influential Indigenous figures.
Walker, in his capacity as Indigenous All Stars captain, also featured in a 2019 NRL video alongside ARL commissioners Peter Beattie, Megan Davis and Wayne Pearce, as well as legends Laurie Daley and Preston Campbell, that endorsed the NRL’s backing of the Uluru Statement from the Heart.
An NRL spokesperson said the league’s commitment to the Voice was reflected in a new plan being finalised with Reconciliation Australia.
“The Australian Rugby League Commission will work with the Australian Rugby League Indigenous Council, Indigenous Players Advisory Group and the Indigenous Employee Network to support this understanding for all of our fans and communities,” the spokesperson said.
The board of Rugby Australia had not settled on a final position, a source within the code said. The governing body remained pro-reconciliation, the source said, but wanted to allow people to make up their own minds.
Albanese also foreshadowed the solicitor-general would come out in support of the Voice in the face of the Coalition’s persistent challenges to the government to release his advice.
Albanese said Solicitor-General Stephen Donaghue’s position would be made “clear” and accused the federal opposition of misjudging voters on the referendum.
“The solicitor-general’s views are very clear for support for this change, that it’s legally sound,” Albanese said. “And, through the process … he will, I’m sure, take the opportunity through the attorney-general to make that position clear.”
The opposition has repeatedly accused Labor of withholding details on the Voice, including by refusing to release Donaghue’s advice on the proposed body.
Nationals MP and former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce said in a later interview people did not understand the extent of what they were being asked to vote for, “and that’s why you need the solicitor-general’s advice”.
“Mr Albanese has got to basically be honest and tell us what it is,” Joyce said. Albanese said Joyce knew that governments don’t release the solicitor-general’s advice to the cabinet.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton declared last week he would campaign against enshrining an Indigenous advisory body to parliament and the executive into the Constitution, following fears empowering the Voice to consult the executive was an overreach.
This masthead previously reported that Donaghue – whose opinion has become central to the political debate over the Voice’s scope – told a key referendum working group the constitutional wording for an Indigenous Voice to parliament posed limited legal risk, and did not recommend removing the ability for the Voice to lobby the executive branch of government.
A spokesperson for Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said, “As the prime minister has stated, and contrary to false claims by the opposition leader, the proposed constitutional amendment has been informed by advice from the solicitor-general.”
The prime minister also changed his language on the chances of the referendum succeeding without bipartisan political support, saying Australia’s political system had changed substantially since the last referendum.
“Just a couple of weeks ago, in the Aston byelection, history was created with something that hadn’t happened in over 100 years: the government winning a seat off the opposition in a byelection,” he said.
“So we live in different times from when past referendums have [been] held.
“I think Peter Dutton has underestimated the number of Liberal and National Party voters who will show generosity and goodwill and who will vote ‘yes’ in this referendum.”
One of the key criticisms from the opposition has been the proposed ability of the Voice to consult executive government on matters affecting Indigenous people. Asked whether he was prepared to give ground on that factor, Albanese indicated he wasn’t.
“They’ve already declared their position. It’s a bit like saying that you’re going to run on the field in a footy game, and just allow the other team – in this case the No team – to just run through, score tries without trying to tackle them and trying to defend the Yes position,” he said.
Albanese responded to a call from Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk last week for more information by saying the government would firstly be running an information campaign about the nature of referendums, adding most Australians had never looked at the Constitution.
