Australia’s major sports back Indigenous voice to Parliament

Ahead of the Voice to Parliament referendum, the AFL, NRL and Rugby Australia have each declared support for the yes vote.

With major Australian sporting organisations expected to play a significant role in the ‘Yes” campaign, the NRL led national bodies by released a statement on 9th May advising that “it had been a proud supporter of the Uluru statement from the heart since 2017 and that it was “committed to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice”.

The NRL statement added “true change comes through listening, learning and taking action – and we encourage everyone in the rugby league community to get informed by the facts, and use their voice, so that we can move forward together,” a spokesperson for the NRL said.

The NRL noted it had its own “independent voice” since the founding of the Australian Rugby League Commission, in the Australian Rugby League Indigenous Council (ARLIC).

The statement added that the ARLIC played “an integral role in making representations to the ARLC with ideas and views on behalf of Indigenous peoples across the game”.

The NRL’s stance has this week been backed by the AFL and Rugby Australia, 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 Rugby Australia’s board said it was time to institute a “level playing field” for First Nations people.

The AFL followed, 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”.

A statement from the AFL advised “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

“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.”

Rugby Australia’s release carried the headline: “The voice is not about division. It’s about union.”

The statement then added “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 and the Australian Olympic Committee have also announced they would be advocating for the ‘Yes’ campaign, 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.

Netball Australia and Cricket Australia remain as the only major sporting bodies to have not committed to a position, although both bodies are conducting education processes about the referendum for players and staff.

The Sir Doug Nicholls Round, the AFL's annual round recognising and celebrating indigenous players is being held across Rounds 10 and 11 of the 2023 AFL Premiership Season while the NRL's Indigenous round is being held across the current  weekend (18th to 21st May).

The date of the referendum is expected to be in October, not long after the AFL and NRL grand finals.

Image: AFL club Hawthorn's guernsey from the 2015 Indigenous Round.