Ms Patten (Northern Metro):
My question is to the Minister for Sport represented by *Minister Deladakis.
In the past few weeks we have seen how successful women in football can be. The public have voted with their feet attending games and watching matches in record numbers on television ahead of the commencement of the AFL National Women’s League next year.
In my region of Northern Metropolitan Region I have some of the highest numbers of women’s participation in sport in the country – which shouldn’t surprise anyone given I have 5 AFL major teams in my electorate – Carlton, Collingwood, Richmond, Melbourne and North Melbourne – six if you count the Sydney Swans who always reside in my heart!
Can the Minister please explain what the government is doing to support young women playing more sport in Victoria, in particular AFL, especially given now these women can see a future in playing the great game of footy?
Supplementary:
Thank you Minister.
I think it is important that the government encourages as many women as possible to participate in sport. We know it’s good for our community health and wellbeing, we know it’s good for people’s mental health and playing team sport fosters wonderful relationships.
As I said, now that these young women can see a future in playing footy by participating in the National Women’s AFL, they need to be offered the brightest possible future that they can. They need to be able to make a living, just like the men can, playing the game.
In light of that, will the Andrews Labor Government work with the AFL to ensure that there is parity of payment to football players in the Women’s League?
