Lockyer Adds voice to Widders' Call to Australia
Australian, Queensland and Broncos captain Darren Lockyer has lent his support to fellow NRL player Dean Widders in the ‘Voices of Australia’ project, which celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Racial Discrimination Act.
Australian, Queensland and Broncos captain Darren Lockyer has lent his support to fellow NRL player Dean Widders in the ‘Voices of Australia’ project, which celebrates the 30 th anniversary of the Racial Discrimination Act.
Widders has been a driving force behind the project which aims to encourage greater understanding and friendship between people of different backgrounds through sharing the stories of their experiences.
Lockyer’s pride in captaining
his country and the friendships he has made is reflected in his time growing
up in the Queensland country town of Roma.
“Growing up in a small town like Roma, we were always on the lookout for groups of other kids with whom to play a game of cricket or footy,” he said.
“As a young kid, everybody is your mate, and back then I never really knew what racism was all about. At school we just got on with each other, and to me the colour of a person’s skin or their background was never an issue.
“The only difference I noticed about the Aboriginal kids was that they always seemed to be really gifted athletes, and tough opposition.”
Lockyer recalls that when he first arrived at the Broncos that the club management, and particularly coach Wayne Bennett, reinforced those values.
“At the Broncos we are treated on our merits,” he said.
“We are collectively individuals who have to perform together as a team, so we simply have to learn to judge a person on his abilities and his values, and not on some stereotype image.
“At the Broncos I have had the opportunity to play with some brilliant players from a variety of backgrounds, and consider myself honoured to have done so. People like Steve Renouf and Anthony Mundine (Aboriginal), Harvey Howard (English), and Petero Civoniceva and Lote Tuqiri (Fijian) have been some of my most admired team mates, as well as current rising stars like Neville Costigan (PNG), Sam Thaiday (Torres Strait Islander) and Karmichael Hunt (New Zealander).
“It is the same playing for Queensland or Australia – we get the opportunity to form friendships with people from a variety of backgrounds.
“The great thing about captaining my country is that when I look down the line before the national anthem is played, I know we have one common bond – we are all proud Australians.”
Widders thanked Lockyer for his support, saying the Australian captain was an ideal role model for all aspiring athletes.
“Lockyer
is not only a great player but he is a great sportsperson in terms of his
values,” Widders said.
Widders spoke of some of the key messages he tries to relay to kids in his visits to schools and communities.
“One of the main things I really try and impress upon young kids is to be proud. It doesn’t matter where you are from or how you have grown up, you just have to be proud of who you are and know that if you set your mind to something and you work hard at it you can achieve whatever you like,” he said.
“I think that has been the case with my rugby league career. This was something I really had to work hard for. I was not as naturally talented as a lot of people. It has been a long hard slog for me,” he continued.
“So that is the message that I try and give kids. Believe in yourself, don’t be silly, work hard and really reach out for your goals. You can achieve anything.”
Widders said one of the key themes of the ‘Voices of Australia’ project was making people feel respected rather than tolerated.
“Amongst young Indigenous kids, believing in yourself and being proud of where you come from is a big issue.
“That is something we really have to try and improve over the next couple of years,” he concluded.
Last updated: 23 August 2005.
© Human Rights and
Equal Opportunity Commission.
Comments and Feedback welcome - Email: voices@humanrights.gov.au.
