NBA legend and the tallest man to ever step foot in Parliament House Shaquille O’Neal (Shaq) has met with PM Anthony Albanese and Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney.
The trio were discussing Labor’s proposal to include an Indigenous Voice to Parliament in Australia’s constitution. The meeting was supposedly Shaq’s idea according to the PM.
@sydneymorningherald Basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal joined Albo’s press conference this morning 🏀👀 #auspol
“He is interested in this country,” Albanese said as per the ABC.
“He knows that we are a warm and generous people, and he wanted to inform himself about what this debate was about by engaging directly with the Minister for Indigenous Affairs and myself as the Prime Minister.”
Albanese also elaborated on his reasoning behind meeting Shaquille O’Neal .
“Shaq is well known to younger people and one of the things that we have been doing is trying to mobilise support for the voice to parliament by talking with sporting figures.”
To enshrine an indigenous voice to parliament in the Australian constitution, the constitution must be amended and a national vote AKA: a referendum is required.
An honour to meet basketball legend @SHAQ O’Neal in Sydney today with Minister for Indigenous Affairs @LindaBurneyMP. pic.twitter.com/1ZFLxpGXKB
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) August 27, 2022
“We have had discussions with the AFL, the NRL etcetera,” said the PM as the seven-foot-one-inch-Shaq approached the lectern to shake his hand.
Minister Burney also had positive things to say, noting she was “really pleased and very proud” of the meeting. “He (Shaq) said it was a noble task, that it was important.”
The meeting was met by a broad spectrum of reactions from Aussies. Some frothed the cross-over, others posed criticisms and many were just left scratching their heads.
This some next level settler nonsense. https://t.co/RhqzSCeqJc
— Dr JM Field (@JM_Field5) August 27, 2022
Can we trade Shaq for Bogut?
— brodie🐈⬛🐈🐈⬛ (@meowbrodieCRPS) August 27, 2022
Big transfer season news: I’m hearing Shaq has been signed to the parliamentary basketball team for the press vs pollies sports tournament.
— Josh Butler (@JoshButler) August 27, 2022
can you imagine what twitter would’ve been like if it was Morrison and Shaq https://t.co/ynZkAD0BwO
— Leonardo Puglisi (@Leo_Puglisi6) August 27, 2022
The meeting has already made international headlines with publications like Reuters (UK), RNZ (New Zealand), Voice of America (I think this one’s obvious) and BNN Bloomberg (Canada) covering the story.
“I’m here in your country, whatever you need from me you just let me know,” Shaq told the PM as per Reuters.
If Shaq’s Twitter account is anything to go by, I’d say he’s having a grand old time in “the land down undaa”.
I’m here in the land down undaa
— SHAQ (@SHAQ) August 23, 2022
AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE…
— SHAQ (@SHAQ) August 25, 2022
