‘Why the hell do we need the Voice?: Boxing star Anthony Mundine slams referendum

Former boxing world champion Anthony Mundine has blasted the Indigenous Voice to parliament, labelling it a “takeover”.

Former boxing world champion and NRL star Anthony Mundine has blasted the Indigenous Voice to parliament, branding it a “takeover”.

Speaking to Sky News on Sunday, the Indigenous rights campaigner, urged Australians to vote No in the upcoming referendum, arguing the Voice is a tool to take away Indigenous Australian’s sovereignty.

Anthony Mundine has joined the No campaign. Picture: News Corp Australia

“It’s a takeover … they want to take our sovereignty so we fall under their jurisdiction as British subjects so once our sovereignty is ceded then we’ll have no power,” said Mundine.

“Why the hell do we need a Voice? We’ve got people in parliament, we’ve got senators, we’re already making our voices heard.”

Mundine’s former code, the NRL, has publicly backed the Yes vote, as has the AFL.

Indigenous sporting legends Adam Goodes, Eddie Betts and Evonne Goolagong Cawlely have also vocalised their support.

Anthony Mundine labelled the Indigenous Voice to parliament as a “takeover”. Picture: News Corp Australia

Mundine earlier spoke out against the Voice and its “trickery” in an Instagram video this month.

“They want to take the sovereignty rights … basically it is a New World Order agenda to take over the land. They’re using trickery to make that happen,” he told his 30,000 Instagram followers.

“A lot of organisations are getting paid to push the Yes vote, it’s all about getting money. A lot of community members are getting money to push the Yes vote.

“They want to enslave humanity man, this New World Order stuff. So we’ve got to stand up and fight. Fight for our people, fight for our country.”

Independent senator Lidia Thorpe, who represents the Blak Sovereign Movement, has also expressed concerns about Indigenous sovereignty.

“We will continue to fight for treaty, we will continue to fight to have our sovereignty acknowledged in this country. I don’t think a yes or no result is going to make any difference,” Thorpe told the National Press Club this month.

“I think even with a yes vote outcome then it’s still a denial of what the Blak sovereign movement is about and it’s hand-on-heart do-gooders who think they know what’s best for us.

I’ll make it simple for some of you. Not all opinions are equal. Anthony Mundine is entitled to his. I’m entitled to point out how meaningless it is. My qualifications for that assessment are infinitely more authoritative than his ravings are. #VoteYes#VoiceToParliament

— eddie synot (@EddieSynot) August 28, 2023

Apparently, Anthony Mundine is on the NO campaign, so that's another excellent reason to vote YES. As soon as I saw he was trending, I knew what it would be about.

— Ian Harkin (@sportznut67) August 28, 2023

Boxing legend Anthony Mundine has joined the NO campaign:

Let's Go 💪 pic.twitter.com/XxKckCNtZT

— Meanwhile in Melbourne (@meanwhileinau) August 28, 2023

Mundine’s comments on Sky News have elicited a mixed response on social media, with some praising his decision to oppose the Voice, and others arguing the sporting star’s position is another reason to back the Yes vote.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese earlier stressed the referendum will have “no impact on the issue of sovereignty”, in an address in February.

The prime minster is expected to announce the date of the referendum in Adelaide on Wednesday, with Aussies expected to take to the polls on October 14.

“Next week the date will be announced. I will be campaigning for constitutional recognition,” Mr Albanese said in a statement last week. “Because if not now, when?”