AFL asks clubs to form position on the Indigenous Voice to parliament referendum
The AFL has asked its clubs to form a position on the Indigenous Voice to parliament and sent them a YouTube explainer as well as detailed resources relating to the vote.
The AFL has asked its 18 clubs to form a position on the Indigenous Voice to parliament ahead of Sir Doug Nicholls Round late next month.
Australians will later this year vote in a referendum on whether to approve a change to the constitution to create an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to represent Indigenous Australians on matters relating to First Nations affairs as part of an advisory board to federal parliament.
A date for the referendum is yet to be finalised, but will likely take place between October and December.
The AFL’s general manager of Inclusion and Social Policy Tanya Hosch sent a memo to the clubs on Wednesday, detailing the league’s desire for clubs to take a position by May 8.
Sir Doug Nicholls Round – which celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and contribution to the game – will take place between rounds 10 and 11.
The league’s memo to the clubs also included a YouTube explainer as well as detailed resources related to the Indigenous Voice to parliament referendum.
Hosch said in the memo: “We invite and encourage you to advise us if your club will be taking a position to support the referendum YES campaign.”
“As the AFL will be considering this in the coming weeks, your advice on this will be gratefully received.
“This information is supplied to provide guidance regarding language to support building awareness of the Referendum during Sir Doug Nicholls Round in 2023.”
In February and March this year the AFL’s Inclusion and Social Policy team ran information sessions with all of the clubs.
Club chief executives were also provided with information at the CEO’s meeting during Gather Round in Adelaide.
Collingwood’s board has already publicly supported the Yes vote, while stressing it was not instructing supporters on how they should vote.
The Magpies said: “The board acknowledges and understands that to be better as a country and to enact meaningful change, we need to hear from First Nations peoples; their needs and aspirations. In doing so, it has been important for the club to facilitate discussions from both sides of the ‘YES and ’NO’ campaigns to help inform individual decision-making. The club has engaged First Nations experts to present on both the YES and NO campaigns to its people.
“Through this process, the club has made clear to all its athletes, staff, members and supporters that everyone has an individual democratic right to vote however they wish.
“The club wants to be clear, we are not instructing anyone on how to vote but rather state that as a Board, we believe supporting a First Nations Voice to parliament is the right thing to do.”
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