Indigenous senator’s vicious assault on Albo’s ‘clueless and out of touch’ Shaquille O’Neal publicity ploy in an attempt to get votes for his Voice referendum.
Indigenous Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price criticized the Prime Minister’s Shaq gag.
Shaquille O’Neal requested a meeting with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
They gathered in Sydney to discuss the intended Voice referendum.
O’Neal met with the Prime Minister and the Minister of Indigenous Affairs, Linda Burney.
A Native American senator criticized Shaquille O’Neal’s unusual brief appearance at Anthony Albanese’s press conference on Saturday.
The celebrity was meant to pledge his support for the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, but instead he gave a few empty platitudes and went abruptly.
Now, Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price of the Country Liberals has described the Prime Minister’s marketing ploy as “clueless and out of touch.”
She continued, “I have no doubt Shaq is a great guy, but it’s a bit demeaning to ask a black American to help black Australians as if it were all about skin color.”
Indigenous Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price (left) has criticized the Prime Minister for using a publicity gimmick employing former NBA player Shaquille O’Neil to garner support for his Voice referendum.
Shaquille O’Neal and Anthony Albanese at a press conference in Sydney
The Prime Minister disclosed that O’Neal requested a meeting in Sydney to hear more about the proposed Indigenous Voice to Parliament vote.
The huge basketball player stormed into the prime minister’s press conference, his intimidating 216cm frame dwarfing Mr Albanese’s 173cm stature.
In a peculiar moment, he greeted the prime minister before gently tugging the hand of Indigenous Affairs Minister Linda Burney to brush his forehead.
“Hello Australia, it’s great to see you,” he said to the press, before telling the PM and Senator Burney, “Congratulations, and I want you to know that Shaq loves Australia, okay?”
He turned and left the room within ten seconds of entering, pausing only to remind the prime minister that he would need permission to remove the boomerangs he had been given earlier.
Linda Burney, Minister for Indigenous Australians, greeted Shaquille O’Neal at the press briefing.
Senator Price stated, “If the Prime Minister and the Minister for Indigenous Australians believe that Shaq’s experience with “lifting up marginalized people” is the key to winning Yes votes for the Voice, then it demonstrates how clueless and out of touch they are with the needs of Aboriginal Australians.”
The press was astonished by the visit, but Northern Territory senator Price, a former mayor of Alice Springs, mocked the event.
“Desperate times call for desperate methods,” she wrote on Facebook later.
If the Prime Minister and the Minister for Indigenous Australians believe that Shaq’s experience “raising up marginalized people” is the key to gaining Yes votes for the Voice, then it illustrates how stupid and out of touch they are with Aboriginal Australians’ concerns.
She noted, “Aboriginal Australians share more historical similarities with Native Americans than with African Americans.”
‘Such superficiality and lack of substance when confronted with such serious concerns…
A disgraceful job by the prime minister and minister.
Mr Albanese disclosed that O’Neal had requested the Saturday meeting in Sydney to learn more about the matter.
The prime minister insisted the meeting with the basketball player was a resounding success, later telling the reporters, ‘It was a really productive session.
His second visit to Australia has piqued his interest in the country.
“He is aware that we are a friendly and generous people, and he wanted to learn more about this [Voice] issue by speaking directly with the Minister for Indigenous Affairs and myself, the Prime Minister.
It is a really favorable conversation regarding the global perception of Australia.
The prime minister believes that the NBA icon would lend his fame to a campaign to support the referendum.
Mr. Albanese disclosed that he had gifted O’Neal a Rabbitohs sweater, while Shaq had given his son Nathan a LA Lakers shirt.
The NBA icon is in Australia to participate in promotional events.
Ms. Burney stated, “I am ecstatic and extremely gratified that Shaq has requested a meeting with the Prime Minister to expressly discuss our plans for a referendum.”
Mr Albanese disclosed that he had given O’Neal a South Sydney Rabbitohs sweater in exchange for Shaq’s gift of a LA Lakers garment to his son Nathan.
He stated that it was a noble and vital endeavor.
“The most important aspect of what the Prime Minister has indicated is that we must garner widespread support for a referendum reform across the nation. It is difficult in Australia. Everyone knows that.
And I believe that having Shaquille O’Neal as part of a campaign is vital, but it is also crucial that we generate community support.
It was a great pleasure to meet Mr. O’Neal and to discover that there is international interest in the referendum project we are pursuing.
NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal is requesting a meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese while he is in the country for promotional events.
Shaquille O’Neal arrives at Culture Kings in Melbourne as throngs of fans rush to greet him.
Melbourne shoppers waited for hours to see the NBA legend when he visited a Culture Kings store.
Wednesday, his appearance at a Melbourne streetwear store caused local laneways to become clogged with supporters.
The 50-year-old four-time NBA champion was a guest at Culture Kings streetwear, where hundreds of people waited for hours to meet the sporting icon.
Fans began scaling the walls to get a closer view of the Los Angeles Lakers star, prompting the deployment of security guards to maintain order.
Shaq is in Australia to deliver a series of presentations on entrepreneurship in Melbourne and Sydney.
During the show, La Trobe Financial Presents: An Evening with Shaquille O’Neal, fans can anticipate an intimate and unedited question-and-answer session.
His trip combines business and pleasure, since he is bringing his musical alter ego DJ Diesel to a nightclub in Melbourne.
Jackie ‘O’ Henderson also enjoyed a flirtatious interaction with the American basketball icon during his appearance on her radio show.
The athlete went out of his way to complement the mother of one, while also making subtle barbs at her co-host Kyle Sandilands.