Call to stop government funding unless sports offer pay parity

Just 20,000 signatures could be all that’s needed to help close the prizemoney gender pay gap in sports clubs and competitions across NSW.

Kate Allman is behind the campaign

Just 20,000 signatures could be all that’s needed to help close the prizemoney gender pay gap in sports clubs and competitions across NSW.

Headed up by Sydney longboarder Lucy Small and surfer and journalist Kate Allman, the campaign aims to introduce a bill ruling that, in order for any NSW sporting club or organisation to be eligible for government funding, it must offer equal prizemoney for men and women who compete in equivalent competitions.

MP Jo Haylen has agreed to sponsor the concept to be tabled in state parliament if the petition reaches 20,000 signatures.

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Lucy Small is behind the campaign to introduce a pay parity bill. Picture: Supplied

A similar campaign was successful in California in 2019, when female surfers competing at the infamous Mavericks big-wave competition were earning less than half the prize money of their male counterparts.

Surfers convinced the Californian government to introduce an “equal pay for equal play” law, making it illegal to pay women and men differently in athletic events held on state land.

Small made waves in April when she called out the unfairness of a surfing competition paying female winners less than half the prize money of men in the same comp.

The petition asks the government to look at gender equity in sports clubs applying for grants or funding, prior to awarding those grants.

Kate Allman is behind the campaign. Picture: Supplied.

Clubs applying for funding would need to show they offer equal prize money, fair opportunities, facilities and employment for both women and men competing under state government-funded sports associations such as Surfing NSW or AFL NSW.

“We’re calling for gender equity to be made a condition for sporting organisations to receive state government grants, funding, and tenders,” the campaign says on its website.

“We request the NSW government change its requirements for community clubs to specify gender equity and equal opportunity as a precondition for the club to receive funding, grants and tenders.”

The women have called their petition “Equal pay for equal play” and it can be found on Parliament NSW website.

The petition can be found here: