For the first time in Australian history, sporting boardrooms across the country will have to meet gender equity targets or risk funding being withheld.
More women will have more opportunities at boardroom tables following the launch of the ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Gender Equity in Sport Governance Policy, which addresses the under-representation of women in sports leadership.
The national policy is the first of its kind in Australia and is a collaboration between the Australian Government, Australian Sports Commission (ASC) and the state and territory agencies for sport and recreation.
The policy has been developed on behalf of the Australian Government and is supported by all states and territories.
Despite almost equal sport participation rates between men and women, women are still under-represented in governance and leadership positions across the Australian sport sector.
Central to the policy is gender equity targets that have been set for the governance of national and state-level sport bodies.
This will require the Australian sport sector to reach the following standards by 1 July 2027:
- 50% of all board directors are women
- 50% of board chairs are women
- 50% of specified board subcommittee members are women.
Each jurisdiction will adopt its own mechanisms to reach the targets and timeframes, with government funding to be withheld from national organisations that do not comply.
Currently, 62% of funded national organisations reach the required standard of gender diversity in board directors, while only 25% of national sporting organisations and national sporting organisations for people with disability are chaired by a woman.
Organisations will be required to report annually through the Sports Governance Standards self-assessment on their status against gender equity targets and their systems that ensure gender equity.
The ASC worked closely with all of the state and territory agencies of sport and recreation (STASRs) to co-design the policy.
A stakeholder focus group was formed to provide feedback on the policy including representation from STASRs, sports federations, games partners, national sporting organisations (NSOs) and state sporting organisations (SSOs).
Non-compliance measures apply to all recognised national sporting organisations and national sporting organisations for people with disability.
The policy does not apply to community clubs and associations or to professional clubs and leagues, although the government encourages them to voluntarily adopt the policy.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Sport, Anika Wells:
“We need more women making decisions for more women. Our sporting systems are not equal and this policy will help address the gender imbalances prevalent in sports leadership.
“Diversity within an organisation’s senior roles provides a more complete mix of skills, perspectives and experiences, resulting in better decision-making and improved performance.
“The incredible results by our women in Paris and the success of teams like the Diamonds, Matildas, Stingers and Southern Stars has seen a surge in female participation but we still do not have an appropriate balance of senior leadership.
“I strongly encourage all organisations that operate within the Australian sporting environment to embrace this policy and implement the game-changing gender targets we need.”
Quotes attributable to Minister for Women, Senator Katy Gallagher:
“For too long, women have not been represented in leadership and decision-making roles across a range of sports. The Albanese Government is committed to driving change and improving the representation of women in these important governance roles.”
“In Working for Women: A Strategy for Gender Equality the Government committed to driving gender equality by improving leadership, representation, and decision-making. Initiatives like the Gender Equity in Sport Policy are important to drive this structural change and improve representation of women.
“This is not just good for women but will help ensure sport is more accessible and equal for all Australians.”
Quotes attributable to Australian Sports Commission Chair, Kate Jenkins AO:
“As someone who has worked in the gender equity and inclusion space for decades, today’s announcement is an important forward step for the sport sector. I’m optimistic about the positive impact this policy will have for sport at all levels.
“While this policy focuses on gender equity, it sets a framework to improve representation of all elements of diversity including age, cultural background and disability in the longer term.
“A range of resources, practical tools and programs will be made available to organisations to support them to meet these targets and navigate the challenges that may arise with substantial change like this.”
