Captain of the recently victorious Collingwood Football Club, Darcy Moore, has thrown his support behind the Yes campaign in the upcoming referendum to alter Australia’s Constitution.
“I'll be voting yes. I feel it’s an intuitive next step and seems an important and practical way to help Indigenous Australians,” he told ABC on Oct. 10
Mr. Moore said the referendum question was not “problematic” or “radically new” and opposed the argument that The Voice will create racial division.
“The argument around division … to my mind, there are already advisory bodies for Indigenous Australians that have come and gone as governments have changed,” he said.
“The mechanism has already existed anyway, so it’s just locking it in by making it permanent in the Constitution. In that way, it’s not anything new.”
Further, he said Australia did not have a “very strong political activist culture amongst our athletes.”
“It’s what we expect of sports people,” he added, noting that people want athletes to “shut up and play sport.”
“But ... athletes can exercise their rights and say what they want to say healthily.”
Mr. Moore joins a host of athletes who have publicly voiced their support for The Voice to Parliament, including Nathan Cleary, Patrick Dangerfield, Ash Barty, and Adam Goodes.
Cleary Backs The Voice to Parliament
The captain of the National Rugby League (NRL) team the Penrith Panthers, Nathan Cleary, earlier declared his support after leading his team to a historic third premiership in a row.
“No Voice, no choice. Come on, Australia, vote yes,” Mr. Cleary said in a video from the New South Wales (NSW) Aboriginal Land Council’s former chair, Roy Ah-See’s, TikTok account.
Mr. Ah-See said the video was recorded in an Uluru Dialogue education session for several clubs, where Mr. Cleary asked how he could help the Yes campaign before volunteering to make the video.
“He’s a leader on and off the field. You can tell he’s had a really good ground about where he comes from with his family. He’s a very respectful young man,” Mr. Ah-See said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reposted the message on X, adding, “It’s a yes from @_nathancleary,” while linking to Mr. Cleary’s video.
Sporting Leagues Band Together to Back Constitutional Change
The move by high-profile athletes follows that of 20 Australian sporting codes to back The Voice, including the AFL, NRL, Rugby Australia, Football Australia, Netball Australia, Tennis Australia, and Cricket Australia.
“We commit to using our platforms to lead conversations that promote respect, trust, and goodwill between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. We commit to improving education and understanding among the Australians who play, administer and watch our sports,” they said in a joint open letter.
“Sport has long been a means for the inclusion and celebration of the incredible achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.”
AFL Inclusion and Social Policy General Manager Tanya Hosch said sports codes were responsible for connecting millions of Australians.
“Together, we hope we can raise awareness,” she said.
Meanwhile, Football Australia CEO James Johnson said the largest club-based participation sport in the country was “uniquely placed” to play a significant role in Australia’s reconciliation journey.
Athletics Australia also backed the cause.
“Supporting The Voice to Parliament is consistent with Athletics Australia’s commitment to supporting improved outcomes for Indigenous people through athletics,” said Athletics Australia CEO Peter Bromley, in a statement.
“There is a natural link between sport and positive health outcomes, and we believe The Voice is a mechanism for relieving some of this serious inequity and to help Close the Gap,” he added.
Some Codes Say They Will Not Speak on Behalf of Their Members
However, Swimming Australia (SA) has not publicly backed The Voice.
An SA spokesperson said programs were in place to “champion racial equality and social justice, and we encourage respectful and inclusive conversations to support our staff, athletes, volunteers and officials.”
“We are a member organisation, and we cannot speak on behalf of individual organisations,” the spokesperson said.
Rowing Australia said it did not have a public stance and said it would respect individual choice.
“We encourage a respectful discussion of the issues and for people to seek clear and reliable information to make an informed decision.”
Meanwhile, Paralympics Australia supported the Voice to Parliament; however, they said, “We cannot speak for all Australians involved in para-sport.”
