Front Runners Statement on the Voice

For many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities sport is more than just sport. It’s a way of life. At FrontRunners, we live and breathe sport too. And we couldn’t be prouder of the legacy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander athletes across so many sports and so many decades. Not just for the talent, athleticism and hard work these athletes have brought but for the leadership, courage and wisdom they’ve generously offered.

As we work to protect the future of sport, we take so many lessons from not only these athletes but also from elders, knowledge holders and communities who continue a legacy of caring for country passed down and refined over millennia. At FrontRunners, we are proud to acknowledge the traditional custodians of country throughout Australia who have nurtured this land for over 80,000 years and continue to do so today, and recognise their continuing connection to this land, its waterways, and the stars in the sky, since time immemorial. 

And in 2023, we are proud to take up the offer of the Uluru Statement from the Heart to walk side by side with First Nations people.

For too long, decisions affecting First Nations peoples have been made without listening to their voices. All the while, there’s been little progress in Closing the Gap, and, in some instances, things are going backwards. This is the powerlessness we hear many First Nations leaders talk about. 

To begin to address this, we believe First Nations peoples should be recognised in the Constitution. And we believe First Nations communities should have a say in the laws and policies that affect them. We consider this proposition simple and uncontroversial. 

People who love sport know best of all how big moments can define a country. This moment is the biggest one many of us will see in our lifetimes. Just as we see athletes rise to the occasion time and again, we have the chance this year to rise to the occasion and truly walk together. 

And that's why on October 14, we'll be backing a Yes vote. To find out more, visit: https://ulurustatement.org and https://www.yes23.com.au/