When Shaq met Albo: Basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal and the PM bond over Voice referendum

Basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal towered over Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as the unlikely duo met to discuss the proposed referendum on the Indigenous Voice to parliament.

Mr Albanese revealed O’Neal had requested the meeting in Sydney on Saturday to try and understand more about the issue. 

‘It was a very positive conversation,’ the prime minister told reporters. ‘He is interested in this country, his second visit to Australia. 

‘He knows that we are a warm and generous people, and he wanted to inform himself about what this [Voice] debate was about… by engaging directly with the Minister for Indigenous Affairs and myself as the Prime Minister. 

‘It is a really positive discussion about the way that Australia is seen in the world.’

Anthony Albanese and former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal at a press conference in Sydney 

Shaquille O’Neal greeting Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney at the press conference

Mr Albanese revealed O’Neal had requested the meeting in Sydney on Saturday to try and understand more about the issue

It’s believed the NBA legend may help with promotion of the campaign for the referendum’s success. 

O’Neal met with the prime minister and the Indigenous Affairs Minister Linda Burney.

Mr Albanese revealed he had given O’Neal a Rabbitohs jumper and in return, Shaq had given his son Nathan an LA Lakers shirt.

The NBA legend is in Australia for promotional events. 

‘I’m really pleased and very proud that Shaq has sought a request through the Prime Minister to specifically talk about the plans that we have in relation to a referendum,’ Ms Burney said.

‘He said it was a noble task, that it was important.

‘The most significant thing in what the Prime Minister has said is that we need to build a broad-based support across the country for a referendum change. It’s not easy in Australia. We all know that. 

‘And I think having Shaquille O’Neal as part of a campaign is important, but it is also extremely important that we build support across the community. 

‘It was just so wonderful to meet him and to see that there is international interest from people like Mr O’Neal in relation to the project that we have under way about the referendum.’

NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal is in Australia for promotional events and requested a meeting with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

Shaquille O’Neal arrives at Culture Kings in Melbourne as hordes of fans attempt to meet him

Fans queued for hours to catch a glimpse of the NBA legend when he visited a Culture Kings store in Melbourne

His appearance at a Melbourne streetwear store on Wednesday caused local laneways to become blocked with hoards of fans. 

The four-time NBA champion, 50, was a guest at Culture Kings streetwear and hundreds of people queued for hours to see the sporting legend in the flesh.

Security guards were deployed to maintain order as overzealous fans began climbing up the walls for a better view of the Los Angeles Lakers great.

Shaq is in Australia for a series of entrepreneurial talks in Melbourne and Sydney.

Fans can expect an intimate and uncensored question and answer session during the show, called La Trobe Financial Presents: An Evening with Shaquille O’Neal.

His trip mixes business with pleasure as he is also bringing his musical alter ego DJ Diesel to a Melbourne nightclub.

Radio host Jackie ‘O’ Henderson also enjoyed a flirty encounter with the American basketball legend when he appeared on her radio show for an interview. 

The sportsman went out of his way to shower the mother of one with compliments, while also taking a few sly digs at her co-host Kyle Sandilands.