Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has enlisted the support of NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal in calling for constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians and a Voice to Parliament.
Basketball great Shaquille O'Neal and Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met in Sydney today. Photo: AFP
Albanese praised O'Neal after meeting with the basketball great in Sydney on Saturday morning, highlighting his work "in the United States about social justice and lifting people up who are marginalised".
"He knows that we're a warm and generous people," Albanese said.
"And he wanted to inform himself about what this debate was about."
An honour to meet basketball legend @SHAQ O'Neal in Sydney today with Minister for Indigenous Affairs @LindaBurneyMP. pic.twitter.com/1ZFLxpGXKB
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) August 27, 2022
The prime minister argued the world was watching the debate in Australia about recognition of First Nations people.
"I just believe that it will send a really positive message to the world about our maturity as a nation," Albanese said.
The PM, along with Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney, presented O'Neal with a boomerang handmade by First Nations artist Josh Evans, and two jerseys from Albanese's beloved South Sydney Rabbitohs.
"I'm here in your country, whatever you need from me, just let me know," O'Neal said.
"We all know Shaq loves Australia."
Not every day you get to shake hands with NBA legend @SHAQ.
— Linda Burney MP (@LindaBurneyMP) August 27, 2022
The 4x NBA champion discussed his charity work, basketball & his interest in the First Nations Voice.
I hope he enjoys the Bunnies jersey, & the killer boomerang handmade by 25 year old Wiradjuri artist Josh Evans. pic.twitter.com/sBqWczV9DG
More stars to be enlisted
Albanese said the federal government would enlist the support of sporting codes and stars to spread the referendum message through the community, noting he had already had discussions with the AFL, NRL, basketball and netball organisations.
Whether O'Neal's involvement in the cause will sway any voters remained to be seen, according to Burney.
"We need to build-broad based support across the country for a referendum change," Burney said.
"It's not easy in Australia - we all know that - and I think having Shaquille O'Neal as part of a campaign is important, but it is also extremely important that we build support across the community.
"It was just so wonderful to meet him and to see that there is international interest from people like Mr O'Neal in relation to the project, the nation-building project we have underway, about the referendum."
Albanese conceded there were genuine concerns about the referendum campaign being derailed by divisive and racist commentary.
"But the truth is that inappropriate comments have been a feature, unfortunately … towards Indigenous people over a long period of time," he said.
"And I think some of the comments that have been made about this debate are ill-advised.
"But it's also such an opportunity to bring the country together, such an opportunity for unity."
Anthony Albanese is worried about the impact of racist commentary on the issue. Photo: AFP
Some critics have taken aim at the Voice proposal, arguing the decision to leave the design of the body to parliament means the Australian public will not know the full details of what they are voting for at the time of the referendum.
"The Uluru statement was very specific and clear about this - it will be the parliament that will make the final decisions about the way in which the Voice will look and what its functions would be," Burney said.
"It will not usurp the parliament.
"It will be a an advisory body only, and it will be a body that is enshrined in the constitution."
-ABC
