the (timid) voice

basketball australia, wnbl clubs and the voice to parliament

Oct 13, 2023

politics

The Voice to Parliament, if it passes the referendum, would be a permanent advisory body made up of and chosen by First Nations people from communities around Australia. It would give advice to the government about the issues that affect First Nations peoples, such as education, health, housing, justice and other policies with a practical impact on First Nations people.

This is exact phrasing. It can be found through any internet search, on any objective government website, education platform or respected news outlet.

non-politics

There are individuals who are donating hundreds of millions of their own dollars to campaign against the referendum. They have, through billboards and television advertisements and micro-targeted social media posts, bound the notion of an advisory body designed to help heal with the label of ‘division’. I would award these individuals points for persuasion — because fear is a proven political tool — but also for hypocrisy. They are misconstruing facts, and then claiming others have the agenda. They are deliberately obscuring truth and compassion. They are the ones dividing.

There is an interesting article on the psychology and ‘calculated myths’ behind the resistance to the Indigenous Voice. It analyses the way the No campaign has positioned itself as ‘a movement that speaks for those without money or power’ and, through its claimed status as an outsider, made the referendum seem like ‘a contest between elite insiders and ordinary folk’. It is not the case. The majority of the No campaign is not trying to challenge the establishment. It is not run by ‘citizens who lack the advantages enjoyed by others’. It is funded by elite money.

voting

There are many grassroots Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander activists who have dedicated their lives to working on the step towards progress that they see as this referendum. They have urged Australians to vote Yes. There are also grassroots Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander activists who have dedicated their lives towards progress and they do not believe this referendum is conducive to it. They do not believe a Yes vote is enough and they, as part of a movement coined the Progressive No, will vote No. There are others who also do not think the Voice to Parliament is enough but will be voting Yes anyway, in trust that it will lead to more progress.

The conversation is nuanced, but it is a conversation that should be happening between Indigenous people. The rest of Australia should be be quiet. We should be listening.

wnbl athletes and the 2023 referendum

October 10, 2023

Read full story

sport and the Voice: a timeline

Sport has, if not often the opportunity to dispense justice, at least an obligation to support it. I was consequently interested to research how professional codes in this country, specifically the WNBL and AFL/W, have chosen to use their platforms.

In late February of this year, it was reported ‘seven of the most powerful Australian sporting leagues’ were ‘preparing to unite and campaign for the Indigenous Voice to parliament’. The leagues were listed as the AFL, NRL, Rugby Australia, Netball Australia, Football Australia, Cricket Australia and Tennis Australia.1

These codes, one month later on National Sorry Day, formed part of ‘more than twenty of the country’s biggest sporting organisations’ to come together in a ‘landmark move’ to support a Voice to Parliament.

In a joint letter, signed as from ‘the representatives of leading sport organisations in Australia’, they committed themselves to ‘improving education and understanding among the Australians who play, administer and watch our sports’.

They wrote:

‘Sport plays a significant role in reconciling Australia. It has long been a means for the inclusion and celebration of the incredible achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We commit to using our platforms to lead conversations that promote respect, trust and goodwill between Indigenous and non Indigenous Australians. We, as a collective, support recognition through a voice.’

The National Basketball League was part of this collective.2

Jeremy Loeliger, the National Basketball League commissioner, was quoted as saying that following consultation with the playing group the league would be supporting the campaign to enshrine an Indigenous voice in the constitution. He said they ‘had no resistance whatsoever from any of [their] players.’3

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised the NBL’s ‘engagement’ and ‘advocacy’. He said there would be voters who spent ‘more time watching the NBL’ than watching him speak during question time so the league’s leadership would ‘carry a lot of weight around this nation.’

The NBL commissioner reflected this sentiment by stating:

‘I think politics and sport are almost unable to be distinguished from one another because of the fact that sport has such a massive public profile here in Australia.’

The entire list of participating sports were: Australian Football League, Australian Taekwondo, Badminton Australia, Baseball Australia, Boxing Australia, Cricket Australia, Deaf Sport Australia, Football Australia, Golf Australia, PGA of Australia, Motorsport Australia, National Basketball League, National Rugby League, Netball Australia, No Limit Boxing, Rugby Australia, Sport Inclusion Australia, Tennis Australia, NRL Touch Football Australia, Triathlon Australia and Wheelchair Rugby League Australia.4

The Women’s National Basketball League was not involved.

where does the wnbl stand?

It was more than a month later, on 14 July 2023, following NAIDOC week, when Basketball Australia individually released its statement on the Voice to Parliament:5

‘Basketball Australia supports the recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Voice to Parliament. To help inform our staff, players, and community, we will be providing resources and opportunities to promote safe and respectful conversations and encourage everyone in the basketball community to make an informed decision.’

The entire statement can be found here.

There might have been reasons Basketball Australia did not include itself with the other major sporting bodies to be part of history. This article does not seek to apportion blame. It does contend there should have been acknowledgement, when BA ultimately did release their statement, of the delay — and an explanation as to why Basketball Australia, but more crucially the WNBL, missed an opportunity to be part of what was described as a ‘powerful coalition that encompasses Australia’s most popular codes and a combined tally of around 10 million participants.’

BA proclaims to want the WNBL to be part of national relevance, and yet it seems to exclude itself. Fans who care about the WNBL deserve more transparency. The league itself, and the players6 — especially its Indigenous players — deserve it, too.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander recognition in modern sport

In 2007, the AFL introduced a specific Indigenous round of matches, now known as Sir Doug Nicholls Round, enabling all clubs to celebrate Indigenous contributions to the sport, though the first Dreamtime match between Essendon and Richmond had been played in 2005.7

The NRL held its first Indigenous round in 2014, following the success of the 'Indigenous All Star' concept, which began in 2010.8

The NBL launched its inaugural Indigenous Round in the 2019-20 season.9 Patty Mills publicly called for the competition to introduce a league-wide Indigenous round after the Illawarra Hawks became the first NBL club to wear an Indigenous jersey for one of their regular season games in 2018.10

The NBL1, though owned by the NBL, fields an elite women’s basketball competition. Its South league, through Basketball Victoria, has held a First Nations round since 2019.11

The WNBL is Australia’s oldest professional women’s sporting code, but it is still difficult to measure the league to men’s professional sport when there is such a historical variance in resources. It is perhaps fairer to compare to the the Women's Big Bash League, who launched its inaugural First Nations Round in 2021,12 and the Super Netball who first had a First Nations Round in their fixture in 2018.13 The WNBL announced in March 2022 that it would hold its inaugural Indigenous Round.14

the individual clubs

canberra capitals

The UC Capitals declared on June 1, 2023 — one week after the NBL’s announcement of public support and more than a month before Basketball Australia — that they supported the Voice to Parliament ‘as a step forward in giving Indigenous communities a say in Parliament, to help inform policy and legal decisions that impact their lives.’

The club, they detailed, had ‘consulted with players, coaching and admin staff’ and been ‘led and advised by Elders and community leaders’.

The full statement can be found here.

Precluding this advocacy, Canberra had made the decision in February to wear an Indigenous uniform for the entirety of the season.15 It was part of ‘the club’s ongoing commitment to reconciliation and the celebration of First Peoples culture and history’.

Canberra Capitals first wore an Indigenous uniform when the club created their own inaugural Indigenous Round in December of 2018.16

There has been nothing publicly stated by the other seven WNBL clubs about the Voice to Parliament.

I contacted each of them to ask for their stance.

melbourne boomers

On the same day Canberra released their statement in support of the Voice, Melbourne Boomers had also shared a statement to coincide with National Reconciliation Week, stating the week was ‘a time to learn about our Indigenous histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation.’17

They wrote:

‘The Deakin Melbourne Boomers are committed to being a voice for reconciliation through the acts of listening and learning, uniting, and truth-telling about the too-often silenced history of this Land we work and play on. We will be doing more this upcoming season, both during the Cygnett WNBL Indigenous Round and throughout, to bring this commitment to life in tangible ways’.

The Deakin Melbourne Boomers evidently did not consider public support of the Voice as a ‘tangible’ act. When questioned on their stance, a spokesperson responded:

‘As an organisation, we are supportive of the Voice to Parliament but our view consistently with elections is that voting is a responsibility of each person as an individual.’

perth lynx

The Board of Basketball WA (who own Perth Lynx) posted a strong public statement of support for the Voice on September 4th, 2023, where it vowed to ‘recognise the gaps in equity and equality for the WA First Nations basketball community’ and ‘strive to co-create meaningful ways for inclusion at grass roots and co-build the journey for high performance talent.’

When Perth Lynx were contacted to ask for their position on the Voice, they replied with Basketball WA’s statement. I asked whether the statement had been shared on any of Perth Lynx’s website or social media platforms, but I did not receive a reply.

bendigo spirit

A spokesperson for Bendigo Spirit said:

‘Our team supports the Yes Vote and supports our Indigenous player, Alex Wilson.’

When asked whether that stance has been publicised anywhere on the Bendigo Spirit’s channels, they responded:

‘It hasn’t been put on social media or our website. It’s a very divisive topic and we really don’t want to promote our stance but are happy for you to quote in an article.’

sydney flames

Sydney Flames, who participated in an Indigenous Round against the Capitals back in 201918, did not reply when contacted for their stance on the Voice.

townsville fire

Townsville Fire, who in February of 2016 were potentially the first professional basketball club, female or male, to hold an Indigenous Round, coinciding the date of the game with the anniversary of the government’s apology to the Stolen Generation, did not reply when contacted for their stance on the Voice.

adelaide lightning

Adelaide Lightning did not reply when contacted for their stance on the Voice.

southside flyers

In answer to their club’s position on the Voice, a spokesperson for Southside Flyers said:

‘The Flyers have a focus on developing our players on and off the court. We have a focus on education to ensure our players understand issues that impact our lives to help everyone make informed decisions.’

legacy

There is so much history and love woven through the WNBL. Each of its eight teams are not only respected pillars of their individual communities but join together in a wider movement that transcends sport.

With the vote on the Voice to Parliament tomorrow, it is too late for the WNBL — and clubs — to fulfil their potential and, arguably, obligation for education and advocacy, but they still have the chance to be brave with building their legacies on progress, empathy and unity in the future, especially for their Indigenous players.

Uluru Statement from the Heart.