South Australian Government commits $10 million to build female change rooms at sports facilities

In a move to back increasing women’s participation in sport, the South Australian Government has pledged $10 million to build and upgrade female change rooms at sporting clubs across the State.

The captain of the South Australian AFL women's team Courtney Cramey said a lack of female facilities was an issue at most of the state's sporting clubs.

Cramey told the ABC “women's sport's growing ... it's growing at the top level, which is building participation at grass roots as well.

"In AFL, we have 22 in our team, and 22 girls lining up for one toilet can get quite hectic and can get a bit rushed before game time."

About 150,000 girls and women are registered with sporting clubs in South Australia but many are forced to use male change rooms due to a lack of female facilities.

South Australian Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis said significant upgrades were needed to encourage more girls and women to take up sport, stating "we want women to get involved in sport, ... to take part in all our community activities and you can't do that without infrastructure.

"That means we won't see women getting changed out in the car park, women getting changed in the kitchen, women getting changed in places that are very awkward and embarrassing."

With changing room facilities costing an average of $200,000 to build, Minister Koutsantonis said there would not be a limit on the amount clubs could spend on an upgrade.

In its last participation figures for 2015, the AFL claimed that 163 new women’s AFL teams were established across Australia in 2015, with 284,501 women taking part.

Image courtesy of Adelaide Shores.

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