Hughes MP Jenny Ware is calling for an investment in women's sports

MP JENNY WARE

HUGHES MP Jenny Ware is calling for infrastructure upgrades to support women in sport.  our local community, in our country, sport is often the great unifier.

“The legacy that will be of Australia (jointly) hosting the Women's World Cup and the performance of the Matildas cannot be over-stated. Australians love their sport. However, soccer aka football and women's sport in general have struggled against other sports for sponsorship and spectators. This is the first generation of Matildas that have performed in front of record crowds and have had the opportunity for lucrative financial contracts; opportunities which have been available to men for decades. 

“Football has enjoyed considerable support and success in our local community, in the electorate of Hughes, for many years. Evidence for this is the Sutherland Shire Football Association, the largest amateur Football Association of any code in Australia, boasts the highest level of female participation and stands as the second largest in the Southern Hemisphere. With 26 member clubs and over 19,000 registered players, the importance of football in our community is clear. 

“The Matildas' exceptional performance, alongside the achievements of teams from all competing nations in the Women's World Cup, underscores the remarkable progress women's sports have made in recent years.

“This shift in support for women's sports resonates beyond just football, extending to the triumph of the Diamonds in the Netball World Cup and our women's cricket team securing the Ashes. Having playing in women's and mixed sports for decades, observing the surge in support for women's sport is amazing. Young girls now have a more definite pathway to representative and professional football, should they desire. 

“However this surge in popularity and participation has exposed a critical issue: the woefully inadequate facilities and infrastructure available to support these female athletes. This is particularly evident in the substandard change rooms found in many clubhouses. Stories abound of women and girls changing in cars, in parking lots, showering after games without privacy and comfort or foregoing showers. This situation is unacceptable in 2023. 

“That is why I was privileged that the leader of the Opposition, Hon. Peter Dutton and Shadow Minister for Youth, Angie Bell, joined me last week at Bosco Football Club's home ground at Woronora Heights, to announce that a Coalition government would fund $250 million for local sporting infrastructure, with a plea for States and Territories to match this funding, focusing on women's change rooms and facilities.

“Bosco FC has over 1000 registered players of which 35 per cent are women. The Club had 10 teams through to the grand finals last weekend and its women's Premier League team play next weekend. However, the Club's change rooms are not fit for purpose and deny the female players the privacy and comfort they deserve. (Bosco is certainly not unique - all our local sporting clubs need governmental support to up- grade their facilities). 

“The Coalition's program is sensible and deserves bipartisan backing. It's a program that will nurture the next generation of sporting champions as they embark on their journeys. Clubs like Bosco FC, which applied for $20,000 in community funding to upgrade their inadequate female change rooms but received only $4000, will finally have the support they need for a full overhaul.

“This initiative signifies more than just an investment in sports infrastructure: it is an investment in community sports and into our rising superstars of the future.

“The impact of community sports on Australia's economy is substantial contributing billions annually and generating employment opportunities. Moreover, sport promotes physical and mental wellbeing among our players, fostering a healthier lifestyle. Sports in Australia symbolises unity, determination, and progress. It is time we ensure that our athletes, especially our women athletes, have the facilities they deserve - facilities that reflect the growth and dynamism of women's sports. 

“The Coalition's commitment is a step toward a better future for women and girls in sport and communities across the nation alike.”

Published by The Leader Newspaper on 23 August 2023.