Women's sport to benefit from new $200 million Federal Government fund

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has today announced a $200 million funding package for women’s sports, with funding and reforms to help more women play sport and a commitment to ensure more Australians are able to access women’s sporting events on free-to-air television.

Following the successes and engagement resulting from the Matildas performance at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World which has prompted calls for more funding for female football, Prime Minister Albanese announced the launch of the Play Our Way grants program to improve sporting facilities and equipment specifically for women and girls.

With an investment of $200 million, the new program aim to promote equal access, build more suitable facilities, and support grassroots initiatives to get women and girls to engage, stay, and participate in sport throughout their lives.

While the program will be available for all sports, the announcement from the Prime Minister advised that “it is anticipated soccer (football), as the highest participation sport in Australia, will need significant resourcing in the wake of the greatest Women's World Cup ever.”

Noting that the World Cup has “changed sport in Australia forever”, Prime Minister Albanese explained that the Matildas had given Australians “a moment of national inspiration” as he announced the funding in Brisbane this morning.

He noted “sport is a great unifier and a great teacher - it brings communities together, it teaches us about teamwork and resilience and the joy of shared success.

“We want women and girls everywhere in Australia to have the facilities and the support to choose a sport they love.”

Advising that the Play Our Way program will promote equal access, build more suitable facilities, and support grassroots initiatives to get women and girls to engage, stay, and participate in sports throughout their lives, Federal Minister for Sport, Anika Wells added “Play Our Way will address issues to help women and girls enjoy sport for life."

He also announced the appointment of an expert panel of former female athletes to help design the program, consisting of commentator and former Australian netball captain Liz Ellis, Australian professional basketballer Lauren Jackson, Australian Paralympic athlete Madison de Rozario and Chief Executive of the YMCA of Australia and former Matilda Tal Karp.

Play our Way is described as an opportunity for local governments, community organisations, the not-for-profit sector and sporting organisations to seek funding for localised solutions and improvements with the program designed to ensure integrity and transparency by including guidance by experts through an advisory panel so that funding is targeted to where it is most needed and will have the greatest impact.

The announcement also includes a commitment to reviewing the anti-siphoning scheme, recognising that the market in which sporting events are televised and consumed by audiences is rapidly evolving.

Federal Minister for Communications, Michelle Rowland announced the reforms will focus on regulating online broadcasting services, advising “every Australian deserves the chance to enjoy live and free coverage of these events, no matter where they live or what they earn.

“The government’s preferred reforms will bring online services into the regulatory framework and broaden the range of events on the list to include more women’s sports and Para-sports.”

“Broadcasting iconic sporting and cultural events helps us to create shared experiences, fosters a collective Australian identity, and contributes to grassroots community-based participation.”

Significantly, the announcement aims to ensure that iconic women’s sporting events - like the Matildas FIFA Women’s World Cup semi final - are increasingly available for all Australians to watch and enjoy for free.

The Federal Government’s preferred model affirms free-to-air broadcasting services as the ‘safety net’ for free access to nationally important and culturally significant sporting events for all Australians.

The paper also outlines three options to amend the list once reforms to the scheme are implemented, including additions to include events in the Paralympic Games, the AFL Women’s Premiership, the NRL Women’s Premiership and the NRL Women’s State of Origin Series.

Guidelines for Play Our Way grants are in development and it is expected applications will open by early 2024.

Images: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese flanked by Federal Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland and Federal Minister for Sport Anika Wells along with a group of young sports stars at today's announcement (top) and Matildas captain Sam Kerr playing against England in the FIFA Women’s World Cup semi final this week (below, credit: Damian Briggs).