Still walking the long walk

Seven years ago Michael Long could not have predicted walking through Melbourne to the MCG would become such an poignant annual event.

The Long Walk from Federation Square to the MCG has become a regular part of the build-up to the Dreamtime at the 'G clash between Essendon and Richmond.

On Saturday thousands of people from across Australia, including the Northern Territory, joined Mr Long in his symbolic walk, which was first held in 2005.

The year before the two-time Essendon premiership player grabbed the headlines and the attention of politicians when he walked from Melbourne to Parliament House in Canberra to raise awareness of Indigenous issues.

Michael Long told Annie Gastin on 105.7 ABC Darwin and Local Radio across the Territory, that the day draws people in from lots of different backgrounds.

"There's long walk supporters, there's football supporters and not just Essendon supporters and Richmond that come together and celebrate, it's just a great weekend".

The Northern Territory Government is heavily involved in this year's walk, and are including the event in their efforts to mark the NT Centenary with Indigenous Development Minister Malarndirri McCarthy among the crowd.

"When Malarndirri approached us, obviously a local boy and I think part of the same theme of the Long Walk was to walk forward and bring people together," said Mr Long.

Mr Long says the aim of the walk has been to raise awareness of the love and attention that needs to be paid to Indigenous concerns at a Federal and Territory level.

"I suppose we're only one small organisation and we've got to focus a lot of our energy on supporting Indigenous leadership, profiling and trying to celebrate what we have got.

"We're not Governments and we don't control what happens ... but I suppose trying to lift the bar on paying more attention, obviously putting more time and effort into those different areas," said Mr Long.

Mr Long says his message to politicians hasn't changed much from that he delivered former Prime Minister John Howard in 2004.

"The answers lie within as well and we've actually got to take and share and be part of that responsibility as Aboriginal people to make change and that's one of the things when we did speak to Howard, you know, that we need to be a part of this approach and not just implementing what you thinks the best."

Mr Long says its very difficult to measure what the Long Walk, and the organisation's other programs, are achieving but he hopes they are having an influence, especially on young people.

"I know what football has done and I've tried to influence the same off the football field and probably what the great man has taught me I suppose, Kevin Sheedy, and about people power."

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