Page 746 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 20 March 2018
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In 2014-15, 31 clubs claimed an aggregate total of $333, 790 as contributions related to the development of women’s sport, of which 58 per cent were monetary donations and 42 per cent were in-kind contributions. On the face of it, that is a good contribution. However, the total donations to women’s sport were less than the amount claimed for utility bills in the broader sport and recreation category and less than 15 per cent of the amount claimed for wages in that category. Contributions to women’s sport made up less than four per cent of all community contributions in 2014-15 and just three per cent of all contributions in 2015-16. This is a disappointing figure and could well be considered in the government’s review of the community contribution scheme so that grassroots community support for sport is more evenly distributed across men’s and women’s sporting activities.
Clearly the extra incentive of being able to claim $4 for every $3 of actual contributions has not been enough. There is obviously a historical component to this, but it is time that historical component was addressed. I urge the clubs to have a look at this as well and to reconsider their funding formulas, particularly as we are seeing such high participation. If we look at soccer in the ACT, huge numbers of young women are playing that particular sport. Then, of course, there are the female-dominated sports like netball, and hockey is another strong female sport. There are plenty of opportunities out there to fund women’s sport, and it would be great to see some reconsideration there.
Mr Milligan mentioned the women’s sport and recreation participation and leadership program and his comments were that it was not receiving a lot of money. I was pleased to read about this as a new initiative. I think it is a positive initiative and one that I hope will produce significant results. Comments have already been made about what that is seeking to achieve, but it is a positive initiative in terms of looking at ways of encouraging girls and women either back into or into sport in the first place.
We are at a really exciting time for women’s sport. Young girls particularly but also older women in some cases are coming pack to sport, and that is a very positive sign that we are breaking down some of the stereotypes that have existed around women’s sport. I am very encouraged, and I think the funding area is one area that not only the government but also corporate sponsors need to look at. I have touched on the example of the clubs. There is some real equalisation to be done in coming years. I look forward to seeing that progress and seeing more equality when it comes to both sponsorship and pay for our female participants in sport and recreation across the territory.
MS BERRY (Ginninderra—Deputy Chief Minister, Minister for Education and Early Childhood Development, Minister for Housing and Suburban Development, Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, Minister for Women and Minister for Sport and Recreation) (4.04): I am happy to have the chance to talk about the importance of sports grants to support women and girls in Canberra and about what the government has been doing to even up the playing field, so to speak, when we are talking about equal chances across the sporting spectrum.
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