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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 6 Hansard (18 June) . . Page.. 1987 ..

MR HARGREAVES

The Currency would not have been able to participate in the national championships without the support of the Canberra Labor Club group, and I think it's important we acknowledge that support. The Labor Club are often the recipients of a bad wrap in this place, so it's time to square the ledger up. This club has also acknowledged its community obligation to non-elite women's sport and put its money where it's mouth is, and credit for this must go to the advocacy of the president, Barbara Byrne, and to the board.

Mr Speaker, I'm a big supporter of women's sport and am always interested in seeing more funds flowing to women's sporting teams, both elite and community based. I believe that governments have a responsibility to do whatever they can to promote that participation. Women make up more than half the population but certainly do not receive that share of the available sporting dollars.

I acknowledge that women's participation levels are well below those of men, but the only way to address this imbalance is to support and promote women's sport. I'm pleased that the Stanhope government has taken some steps to address this. The government has introduced a $60,000 grants program specifically for women's sport initiatives. Some of the great programs the government has funded this year include:

ACT Rowing, $3,000 for the women rowing for their lives program;

Pedal Power ACT, $3,000 for the new horizons cycling program;

Soccer Canberra, $2,000 for the bend it with Belwest program;

Squash ACT, $3,400 for the balancing the gender bar program;

Tennis ACT, $5,000 towards the women in tennis program;

the YMCA Canberra, $5,000 for the life ball program;

Women's Soccer Canberra, $3,000 towards a kick-start for coaches;

ACT Swimming, $2,170 towards coaching development;

ACT Cricket, $4,000 for the cricket and coaching fundamentals program;

ACT Futsal, $2,000 for the coaching education program;

ACT Rugby Union, $2,000 for the women's rugby development program;

ACT Touch, $4,500 towards a technical development for women;

ACT Volleyball, $5,000 for coaching development;

AFL Canberra, $4,500 for developing the ACT women's AFL-

a great move on the part of the government, that one; and-

One Basketball Canberra, $4,200 for coaching development.

The government also provides $20,000 for the establishment of four elite women's coaching scholarships:

Netball ACT;

Softball Canberra;

ACT Rowing Association; and

ACT Cycling Federation.

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