Anthony Albanese’s big bash for Indigenous recognition

Anthony Albanese merged sport and politics in his first delivery of the new year, backing in the referendum for the Indigenous voice with cricket stars at his side at Kirribilli House.

Anthony Albanese gives David Warner -- a fan of the Roosters NRL club -- a Rabbitohs hat at Kirribilli House in Sydney on Sunday. Picture: Damian Shaw

Anthony Albanese merged sport and politics in his first delivery of the new year, backing in the referendum for the Indigenous voice with the nation’s cricket stars at his side.

Hosting the Australian team and the South African side for the first time to the traditional family day at Kirribilli House, the Prime Minister played cricket on the lawn with the cricketers and their families, but couldn’t resist the chance of engaging with the ­biggest item on his political agenda. Mr Albanese, who was on hand to witness the famous Test against South Africa at the SCG in January 1994 in the first post-apartheid series, gave the visitors a little background on the state of race relations in this ­country.

“On behalf of the Australian government I am proud to recommit the implementation of the Uluru Statement of the Heart in full,” Mr Albanese told the crowd.

“For our South African friends, we have a constitution that’s our nation’s birth certificate that begins in 1788 when the First Fleet came in here, but what we know of course is that the proud history on this island continent we share with First Nation people goes back some 60,000 years.

“My government is determined to change the constitution with support of the Australian people.”

Anthony Albanese is joined by David Warner, wife Candice and their daughters for a game of cricket at Kirribilli House in Sydney on Sunday. Picture: Damian Shaw

Mr Albanese acknowledged Cricket Australia and other sporting organisations’ support for reconciliation and “this act of respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people”.

Cricket Australia discussed the voice at its recent National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cricket Advisory Committee meetings, but has no official position on the voice.

Cricket has an official Reconciliation Action Plan, the national team wears an Indigenous symbol on its shirt and acknowledges the traditional owners at the start of Test matches.

The players recently took a knee in solidarity with the visiting West Indies side.

Australian captain Pat Cummins and South African skipper Dean Elgar both thanked the PM for inviting them to Kirribilli.

“It’s great to be able to attend along with the other players, staff and families against such a ­beautiful back drop,” Cummins said.

“I’d also like to thank the Australian government, who have been a great friend to our team and to Australian cricket in general, particularly the friendship for when we are travelling abroad.”

The PM told the audience he would be attending the Australians’ Test match against India in Gujarat later this year where he intends to catch up with Indian PM Narendra Modi.

Mr Albanese is a keen cricket fan who has attended the SCG Test regularly over the years and recalled being on hand when Ricky Ponting scored two hundreds in his 100th match against the visitors in 2006.

He said he made it to the second day of the most recent match at the MCG when “David Warner said hold my beer, I’ll get 200 in his 100th Test”, and congratulated the batsman.

Earlier, the PM presented Warner with a cap from his beloved South Sydney Rabbitohs rugby league club, which the Roosters supporting batsman accepted but refused to wear.

While Mr Albanese mixed with all comers, he made a beeline for Warner and was later seen in conversation with Cummins.

Glenn McGrath and members of the McGrath Foundation were also on hand, the PM acknowledging the work they do for breast cancer patients ahead of this week’s Pink Test.

Mr Albanese, who did not play much formal cricket in his youth, proved more adept at bowling in front of the cameras than some of his predecessors.

The Kirribilli backyard wicket proved a little impractical, given the proximity of the water, and Warner’s girls proved to have some of their father’s talent by hitting the odd tennis ball into the harbour.

Sports minister Anika Wells announced that it was six and out for anyone who hit the ball into the AFP boat patrolling the waters but they would be applauded all the way back to the change rooms for the feat.