Northern Territory launches campaign to inspire women to be active and participate in sport

A new campaign, #ShePlaysNT, has been recently launched to encourage Territory girls and women to be active, while raising the profile of women in sport, promoting gender equality and involvement at all levels in sport throughout the Territory.

The campaign is one of seven recommendations from the Women in Sport Advisory Committee, established by the Territory Government to provide advice on increasing women’s participation and leadership opportunities in sport.

The #ShePlaysNT campaign is supported by NT female ambassadors who will share their stories and encourage all Territorians to raise the profile of women in sports.

Darwin-born, sports broadcaster Shannon Byrne launched the campaign as a leading ambassador. Byrne has a sporting background in netball, AFL and basketball and offers a unique perspective as a sports broadcaster with more than 13 years’ experience in the industry.

Territory women of all ages and disciplines will join Byrne as ambassadors, including athletes, coaches, officials and other support roles, who will champion the cause and encourage female participation in sport.

Northern Territory Minister for Tourism, Sport and Culture, Lauren Moss advises “sport and active recreation is a critical part of a healthy, happy life and we want to make sure that all Territory women and girls have the same opportunities as men and boys to get involved in their chosen activity.

“I established the Women in Sport Advisory Committee (WISAC) to provide strategic and practical advice on how we can increase participation and leadership opportunities for women in sport.

“Based on the Committees’ recommendations, we’ve created the #ShePlaysNT campaign to inspire women and girls to get involved and stay involved in sport as an athlete, a coach, an official or all of the above.

Byrne, #ShePlaysNT Ambassador adds “ShePlaysNT is a fantastic initiative that I'm very proud to be supporting. I had so many great opportunities, experiences, and friendships growing up playing sport in the NT. I now want to promote and help lift the profile of NT women in sport and encourage all Territorian girls and women to get active and share their sporting goals and experiences with the community.

“I want more women and girls to have the opportunity to play sport at any level in a supportive, safe, and inclusive environment. We should have the same opportunities and exposure as the men, and I hope to help promote greater equality in all aspects of sport for our women and girls.”

To help kick off the campaign, the Northern Territory Government is also offering Territory women and girls the chance to win one of six $100 vouchers to purchase sports clothing or equipment.

To enter, Territorians will be asked to share a “workout selfie” over social media and hashtag #ShePlaysNT, with one winner selected per month over the next six months.

All Territorians are encouraged to hashtag #ShePlaysNT and share their experiences and journey to get active.

For more information visit https://dtsc.nt.gov.au/women-in-sport

For more information on #ShePlaysNT go to https://dtsc.nt.gov.au/sport-and-recreation/sport-programs/women-in-sport/she-plays-nt

Image of #ShePlaysNT ambassador Shannon Byrne