I was wrong on Indigenous voice to parliament: Brumbies rugby boss Matthew Nobbs apologises

ACT Brumbies chairman Matthew Nobbs, who says politics and sport don’t mix, has apologised for failing to consult key stakeholders before commenting on the voice.

ACT Brumbies chairman ­Matthew Nobbs says he should not have made the comments without consulting the players and the club’s Indigenous cultural advisory group on the issue of constitutional recognition for Indigenous Australians. Picture: Getty Images

ACT Brumbies chairman ­Matthew Nobbs, who says politics and sport don’t mix, has apologised after failing to consult key stakeholders, including the rugby club’s playing group, before commenting on the Indigenous voice to parliament.

Late on Tuesday, Mr Nobbs released an apology statement after he publicly said the Brumbies board had taken the unanimous view that the club should not take a position on the voice and hoped Rugby Australia would do the same.

The Super Rugby club chair said he should not have made the comments without consulting the players and the club’s Indigenous cultural advisory group on the issue of constitutional recognition for Indigenous Australians.

“I want to make it clear that this is our position as the ­Brumbies’ board of directors, and not that of Rugby Australia,” Mr Nobbs said.

“It has been the board of ­directors’ position that it is not the organisation’s place to advocate on matters such as a public referendum, despite our own personal feelings on the matter.

“However, it was not my place to make public comment on this position until fully consulting with the playing group and the club’s Indigenous cultural advisory group and for that I can only hold my hand up and apologise.”

Prior to this, Mr Nobbs had said the ACT Rugby board, which oversees the Super Rugby club, would not engage in a position on the voice. “It was agreed unanimously by our board that we don’t think politics should play a part in sport and it’s an individual’s preference,” Mr Nobbs had told The Sydney Morning Herald.

“There’s no way in the world that we would muzzle our players – they will be free to express themselves as they wish – but we do not believe it is the Brumbies’ role to support a position.”

Rugby Australia and the AFL are yet to make a statement on the voice to ­parliament. The National Rugby League last week publicly supported the voice, joining Football Australia, Tennis Australia and the Australian Olympic Committee in pushing for constitutional recognition for Indigenous Australians.

Outgoing AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan said on Tuesday the league must take a stance on the voice because it is a “community organisation”.