ESSENDON great Michael Long is on Thursday due to complete his latest Long Walk, 19 years after his first trek from Melbourne to Canberra.

Long's latest marathon effort has raised awareness and support of the Yes campaign for the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum to be held later this year.

Starting on Sunday August 27, Long embarked on the 650km journey from Melbourne Town Hall to Parliament House in Canberra to raise awareness and support of the Yes campaign.

The journey was originally planned for 2024 to mark the 20th anniversary of the original Long Walk but it's been brought forward to build support for the Voice.

STATEMENT AFL Commission announces support for a Voice to Parliament

"We'd love everyone to come along, support the Walk, support the referendum and the Yes campaign," Long told Yokayi Footy before he departed.

"I'm really excited ... it's been nearly 20 years this year and the legs aren't as good as they were that long ago but that's part of bringing people along ... so that people get a real understanding of what the referendum is all about."

Long said his first journey to Canberra in 2004 was prompted by the abolishment of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission, and his subsequent concerns about the representation of First Nations people.

He said many of the issues that sparked the inaugural Long Walk were yet to be resolved, and supporting the Yes campaign for the Voice was an important step in the process.

"It's a really important year for all Australians. We know what football's done in terms of changing people's attitudes," he said.

"[The Voice is] not perfect but I think it's an important year for all Australians, especially Indigenous people and recognising Indigenous people in the Constitution, but (also) things that affect us as people. We haven't got that right. You only have to look at closing the gap and that's not closing, that's widening.

"It's important that we have a Voice and have a say. But we ultimately need to work together, but also walk together. That's why there's a real strong message that as part of this Walk and part of this referendum, (we need to) share some of those stories and meeting a lot of people along the way who will hopefully come and join us."

Long has been a key figure in advocating for the rights of First Nations people in football and the wider Australian community for almost 30 years.

He took a stand against on-field racial abuse in 1995 after he was vilified by Collingwood's Damian Monkhorst, and along with his former coach Kevin Sheedy, has been a key figure in building the profile of the annual Dreamtime at the 'G game between Essendon and Richmond each year.

Long said it was important for the Australian community to come together and take the opportunity that the Voice referendum offers to make a positive change for First Nations people across Australia.

"We're supporting what the referendum is about - that Aboriginal people can advocate on issues and challenges that we face - and obviously build a groundswell of support for the Yes campaign because there's been a lot of work that's gone into the campaign... this is our time to make that change," he said.

"I want that to happen now, not in another 20 years, because we were talking about those issues 19 years ago.

"We all have a role to play, whether you're black, white, across the board. We need to make that change now while we're in our time."

You can find out all the information about The Long Walk 2024 at thelongwalk.com.au.  

Yokayi Footy is broadcast weekly on AFL.com.au, the AFL Live app, NITV and SBS On Demand