Women Sport Australia Seeks Meeting Over Defunding of Gender Equity Office

Women Sport Australia (WSA) has formally requested meetings with Victorian Parliament representatives following the State Government’s decision to defund the Office for Women in Sport and Recreation (OWSR).

The organisation is encouraging others to take similar action by writing to their local MPs and expressing concern.

The closure of OWSR has prompted significant concern across the sporting sector, with WSA cautioning that the move risks reversing progress made toward gender equity in sport.

In a publicly available letter template, WSA outlines the Office’s contributions in collecting participation data, guiding policy development, and supporting the inclusion of women and girls in sport.

“Cutting this office isn’t just shortsighted; it actively dismantles progress,”

“Women and girls deserve better than this. They deserve someone waking up every day thinking about how to make sport better for them — on and off the field.”

The Office has been credited with helping shape policy across other states and creating a model that demonstrated measurable impact.

“The Office has shown what’s possible when government resources are dedicated to a specific equity goal.”

“This is a critical moment for sport in Victoria. What happens next will set a precedent.”

The decision to close the Office comes despite key findings from the 2023 State of Play report, which was commissioned through the OWSR. The report highlights ongoing challenges in participation and retention:

• Only 35% of girls aged 15–17 participate in community sport, down from 48% in childhood.
• Just 33% of women in Victoria take part in weekly sport or physical activity, compared to 50% of men.
• One in three women in community sport have considered leaving their club due to unequal treatment.

WSA argues that absorbing the OWSR into a broader government department reduces the focus and accountability needed to drive gender equality initiatives in sport.

WSA is currently seeking meetings with relevant ministers and government officials to better understand the rationale behind the closure and to discuss potential pathways for reinstating dedicated support for women and girls in sport.

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