$150m funding for change rooms in women’s grassroots sport

A longstanding discrimination againt women’s sporting facilities is about to be addressed, to the tune of $150 million.

THE Federal Government will today call out inequality in grassroots women’s sport by funding female change rooms so women no longer change “behind towels in their cars”.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison will unveil $150 million to ensure there are women-only change rooms at sporting grounds across the country.

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In another play at getting more women active, the pre-Budget announcement will include a further $40 million to help upgrade local sporting clubs.

Sport Minister Bridget McKenzie said Australia wanted to build on the success of its female athletes.

“Following on from the success of our Australian female athletes and sporting teams there is a tsunami of women taking up sport right across the country,’’ she said.

“We want to support these women in sport, from the grassroots level up to elite representatives – you can’t be what you can’t see.

“That’s why we have created a new fund specifically to help build new female change rooms.”

Sport Minister Bridget McKenzie at Parliament House in Canberra

Women often don’t have access to appropriate change room facilities resulting in them having to get changed behind towels on the side of fields or in cars, and having to go home for showers.

“This is a major deterrent for women wanting to participate and to feel like they are welcome in clubs across many sports,” Ms McKenzie said.

In some cases, women were getting changed in toilets before taking to the field.

Mr Morrison said sporting clubs helped build stronger communities: “They’re not just about keeping active and having fun, they are also bringing people together.”

He said to get all Australians to have a go at sport, women and girls needed equal access to playing fields and sporting facilities.

“With more and more women playing sport we need to make sure they’re supported from entry level as young girls all the way through to elite level competition, including in once male-dominated sports,” Mr Morrison said.

“Female change rooms should be standard, they shouldn’t be an exception.”