AFL LEGEND Michael Long has once again set out on the 650-kilometre walk from Melbourne to Canberra in support of the Voice to Parliament. 

Originally making the trek 19 years ago to advocate for First Nations peoples, Long launched his most recent advocacy effort at the Melbourne Hall on Sunday, urging Australians to “vote yes.” 

The two-time premiership player and Norm Smith medallist told the Koori Mail, “you’ve got to remain optimistic that something’s got to change.” 

“We are always trying to advocate for reconciliation,” he said. 

“And now, this is presented in front of us, this referendum. So hopefully Australians can get a deeper understanding of what this is really about.” 

It was in 2004 when Michael Long returned home from another funeral that he decided that something needed to be done to highlight the inequalities experienced by First Nations peoples. 

He took it upon himself to get Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues back on the national agenda and resolved to…