Crown chairman James Packer says he's "ashamed" to see football fans booing Adam Goodes as he threw his full support behind constitutional recognition for Indigenous Australians.
The billionaire businessman, who was speaking in Melbourne to support Crown's Indigenous employment programs, said Australia needed to hold a referendum to show its commitment to reconciliation.
"This issue is above politics and it sits at the core of what Australia was, is, and has the potential to be," he said on Friday.
"I believe Australia cannot be truly reconciled without recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders at the forefront of this country's public life."
He then joined Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and more than 100 others at the event in giving three cheers to AFL star Adam Goodes, who is not playing this weekend as the debate over the booing controversy continues.
While leaving the event, Mr Packer told reporters that Adam Goodes should be treated with more respect.
"He's a great Australian. He won Australian of the Year, I think he's an amazing role model," Mr Packer said.
"To hear people booing him is something that I'm ashamed of as an Australian."
He took no further questions.
Mr Packer's comments are at odds with recent remarks by friend Shane Warne, who said it was "ridiculous" that those who boo the Sydney champion were being branded as "racist".
The former Test cricketer came under fire on social media after taking to Twitter to say that fans should be entitled to boo an athlete if they did not agree with the way he/she played the game.
This whole Adam Goodes drama is ridiculous. The public can boo or chant whoever's name they want ! It's nothing to do with being racist....— Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne)
July 30, 2015
Mr Packer had been launching Crown's second Reconciliation Action Plan, which will place more of Crown's Indigenous employees into leadership roles.
The company also made further commitments to cultural awareness training and employment targets for hiring, training and retaining Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff.
A total of 450 Indigenous Australians have so far been hired through Crown's existing program.
Reconciliation Australia CEO Justin Mohamed said the next generation of employees are looking for companies that have put such detailed plans in place.
And the fact the Adam Goodes controversy has generated so much attention demonstrates how important these issues are for the community, he said.
"We need to address this as a nation. The sooner it's addressed, the better," he said.
