New Legislation Will See Women Make Up 50% Of Leadership Roles Nationally

Australian sports governing bodies might soon be required to have at least 50% women on their executive boards and committees, thanks to a late push from the Western Australian Government raising it from 40%.

The deal was struck at the recent Meeting of Sport and Recreation Ministers in Sydney, which saw the tabling of the draft National Policy Framework for Girls and Women.

The new target was endorsed by all jurisdictions and is now Federal Government policy which will be enacted nationally.

Sport and Recreation Minister,  Mick Murray, said in a statement: “I am proud that WA has played a key role in this important national initiative.

“We advocated strongly for the target to be increased to 50%, and this is a good result for equality and the sports industry.”

“Sport plays such an important role in our culture, so it’s vital that the governing bodies are representative of our communities.

“Diversity in leadership positions not only better reflects our communities, it has been shown to make good business sense and lead to better decision-making outcomes,” Murray said.

The 50% target is 10% higher than what was originally proposed, and reflects women’s representation in the community.

Women’s Interests Minister, Simone McGurk also stated: “There are many skilled and capable women with a great deal of expertise to contribute to the sporting industry, and by not having a gender balance we are missing out on a huge array of talent.

“This policy sends a message to the sporting community, and the community at large, that gender equality is important and the government has a leadership role in driving the agenda for change.”

Further details as to when this policy will be rolled out are yet to be confirmed.