Warren Mundine makes voice to parliament No pitch to Collingwood Football Club during an ‘open and frank’ conversation

Warren Mundine is urging AFL clubs to talk to their staffs about the arguments for and against the Indigenous voice to parliament after he had an ‘open and frank’ conversation with Collingwood employees.

Indigenous leader Warren Mundine. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Warren Mundine, a leading campaigner against the voice to parliament, is urging AFL clubs to inform staff about the arguments for and against after he had an “open and frank” conversation with Collingwood employees.

Mr Mundine said he was ­invited by the club to hold a question-and-answer session on Wednesday during which he discussed his opposition to the voice with about 40 Pies personnel.

“I have nothing but admiration for Collingwood for giving me the opportunity to talk to their staff,” he said.

“I had about an hour with them sitting there chatting. And it was a very positive, very open and frank conversation.

“I just wish other clubs and corporations would take that same attitude.”

Collingwood has publicly ­stated its support for the Indigenous voice to parliament, a proposed group of Indigenous people from across the country who would advise the parliament and government on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. A referendum on the issue is to be held by the end of the year.

A club spokeswoman said: “The Collingwood board has been on the record saying the club would facilitate discussion from both sides of the Yes and No campaigns to help inform individual decision-making.

“Collingwood has engaged First Nations experts to present on both the Yes and No campaigns to its people.”

The AFL was contacted for comment, but has yet to commit to a position.

Proponents for the voice say it would help tackle persistent disadvantages Indigenous people suffer, including being over represented in prison populations and higher mortality rates.

Mr Mundine has argued the voice will be “a vast, expensive new bureaucracy that will interface at every level of government”, and that 22 regional voice structures are arbitrary and don’t overlap with existing traditional owner groups.

Despite being asked if he was “muddying the water” by participating in the No campaign, Mr Mundine said everyone who participated agreed they should be able to engage in a civil debate about the voice.

“Some people said they were still voting Yes, and I said that’s great, as long as you have the ­opportunity to listen to me,” he said.

“It was a great conversation. It was the way everyone wants this campaign to go. We may disagree on the constitutional change but we could sit down ­afterwards have a meal and laugh and joke.”

Mr Mundine said he felt like he was walking into the “lion’s den” because the board ­announced on March 29 it backed the voice as part of the club’s commitment to “doing and being better”, but was encouraged by the commitment to facilitate presentations from both sides of the campaign.

“The real thing that came out of it was people’s respect for different people’s views, and (they were) willing to sit down and ­listen,” he said.

“I was very, very proud of the of the group that was there and ­allowing me to have that conversation, and I thank the Collingwood Football Club.”