I begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet and I pay my respects to their elders past, present and emerging.
I’m proud to lead a Government that will give every Australian the opportunity to vote for Constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in a referendum in the last quarter of this year.
On that note, I want to thank the AFL and the Swans for their longstanding support for Constitutional Recognition and their public backing of a Yes vote.
On Tuesday night, when the great Mark Williams was inducted into the Hall of Fame he reminded us how hard it can be for Aboriginal players to make their way to the highest level.
But how lucky are we that they do.
Over the years, Sydney supporters have had the absolute privilege of barracking for a team with superstars like Michael O’Loughlin, Adam Goodes and Buddy Franklin.
Champions of your club – but also greats of the game.
People who have made footy better with their skill on the field and their strength of character off the field.
I think what’s true for footy, is true for Australia as a whole.
In sport and art and music and literature and film, tourism, business, politics and the law, our national identity has been enriched by embracing the world’s oldest continuous culture.
That 65,000 years of shared history brings us together, it’s a source of pride for all of us and later this year, we will have a chance to recognise it in our Constitution.
I’m confident Australians will rise to this moment of national unity and say Yes.
Friends, this magnificent new Sydney Swans HQ and Community Centre, is a monument to the vision, the dedication and the hard work of so many people here today.
I’m old enough to remember when the Swans moved to Sydney and it’s fair to say it was a pretty easy ticket to get back then, not exactly Taylor Swift.
I also remember the tough times when I joined Save Our Swans to ensure Sydney retained a side in the national competition.
No outsider could have imagined your club in such a strong position, with such state-of-the-art facilities.
But the people inside your footy club have always had a belief and a passion that has seen you not just survive but thrive.
And in that same spirit I want to congratulate everyone who has played a part in bringing this outstanding new project to life.
Judging by last Saturday’s modest 171 point win, you are already seeing the results.
I’m confident these new facilities will drive even more growth through the Youth Academy as well as supporting the extraordinary surge in AFLW, inspiring the next generation of women and girls.
Something I’m proud my Government is supporting through our $2.5 million investment in Henson Park.
These new high-performance facilities are outstanding but equally important is the community access.
One of the reasons all of us love sport is because it brings people together.
It breaks down barriers, it boosts confidence, it teaches people about teamwork.
And it is a really important way of generating awareness and driving support for people and programs.
That’s why I am so pleased this will be a place that gives back to the community.
Because this is not just Swans HQ, it is a Red Cross donor centre and a new home for the Hoops Capital Academy as well as the GO Foundation and Clontarf Foundation, providing new educational opportunities for Indigenous Australians.
They say a one-percenter can change the course of a game.
But the work these foundations do can change the course of someone’s life.
You can take all pride in the contribution you are making to that.
I hope this new space brings a new era of success to all of you who call it home.