Andrew Bogut, former NBA player, has argued that the millions of dollars being spent to encourage Australians to vote to change the Constitution should instead be directed towards helping Indigenous communities. This comes as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese lobbies the country’s sporting leagues to back the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, which would effectively create an “Indigenous advisory body” in the Constitution. According to Bogut, the seven sporting organisations involved in the campaign are “bowing to the government” due to the fear of losing funding. He believes this is a form of “sportswashing.”
Bogut suggests that the money being spent on the Voice, promoting the legislation, and on lawyers to write it, would be better used to build sporting facilities and provide resources in Indigenous communities. He cites the situation in Alice Springs, where a youth crime wave has been caused by alcohol abuse, domestic violence, and broken homes.
Labor Prime Minister Albanese is working with the Australian Football League (AFL), National Rugby League (NRL), Netball Australia, Football Australia, Cricket Australia, and Tennis Australia on a coordinated campaign that will launch later in 2023. Adam Goodes from the AFL and Johnathan Thurston from the NRL are expected to be ambassadors for the campaign.
Gary Johns, a member of the campaign against the Voice, “Recognise a Better Way,” questions whether creating an extra bureaucratic body will help struggling Indigenous communities. He believes that the sporting organisations should focus on what they are good at—helping kids through sport—and stay out of politics.