Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recruiting sports stars to push a ‘yes’ vote for Voice referendum 

Anthony Albanese has hinted that some of the biggest names in Australian sport could be part of the squad team committed to the Indigenous Voice to Parliament.

Following the coalition’s decision not to support the Voice, the Prime Minister is seeking support from other quarters to ensure that the ‘yes’ vote prevails later this year.

He told Sky News on Sunday morning that The Voice already has the backing of major sporting codes and has been in talks with footy stars to speak out publicly in support of the vote.

“I know from talking to a number of NRL and AFL players, both past and present, that they will be active in voicing their views in support of constitutional recognition,” Mr Albanese said.

“They have all been strong supporters of Indigenous recognition for a long period of time.

“Even before then, we will have Indigenous rounds in both sports, which will be a celebration of Indigenous Australians and their contribution to those sports.”

Ash Barty (pictured on the 2022 Newcombe Medal at Melbourne’s Crown Entertainment Complex last December) is another big sports name the Voice could support

“And I expect that not only they, but also Tennis Australia have supported us. Cricket Australia, all sporting codes.’

Two retired greats, the AFL’s Adam Goodes and former NRL and State of Origin star Johnathan Thurston are likely recruits to the ‘yes’ cause.

Both have already expressed their support for the Uluru Statement from the Heart, the document that gives rise to the proposed Voice,

Another possible ambassador is Ash Barty, former Australian Open champion and world No. 1 women’s champion.

A potential ‘vote ambassador’ suggested earlier this year is Sydney Olympic gold medalist Cathy Freeman in the 400 metres.

A perhaps surprising pick of an athlete that Mr. Albanese and Native Affairs Minister Linda Burney have already gotten on board to campaign for the “yes” vote is retired American basketball player Shaquille O’Neal.

“Shaq has agreed to do some videos and have a chat about the importance of bringing people together and that’s really what the vote in parliament and constitutional recognition is about,” Albanese said after meeting with O’Neal August.

Homegrown American basketball star Patty Mills, who grew up in Canberra but plays for the NBA team Brooklyn Nets, is another name used as an advocate of the vote.

Historically, referendums, which must be carried by an overall majority of Australians and a majority of states, have a better chance when there is bipartisan support and Mr Albanese acknowledged that the Coalition’s rejection of that was a hurdle.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (pictured in April at Canberra’s National Gallery) admits not having the opposition’s support makes winning the Voice referendum a more difficult task

However, he remained optimistic about the prospects of The Voice rising, pointing to a recently upset Victorian election result.

“Just a few weeks ago, in the Aston by-election, history was made with something that hadn’t happened in over 100 years: the government won an opposition seat in a by-election,” he said.

‘So we live in different times than the previous referenda [been] kept.’

The referendum is likely to be held between October and December this year.

The question being asked is whether the constitution should be amended to recognize Australia’s first peoples by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander vote.

The Voice will be an advisory body of elected First Nations representatives to “make representations to the Parliament and Executive Government of the Commonwealth on matters related to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.”