Matildas inspire $200m government commitment to equipment, changing rooms

Sam Kerr’s desperate plea in the wake of the Matildas’ World Cup semi-final exit has been answered in a $200m move.

Four champions of their sport, including a former Matilda, will head up an expert panel to decide how a $200m sugar hit for women’s sport will be spent across the country.

In the wake of the historic campaign by the Matilda’s, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the “Play Our Way” program would help ensure the “next generation of Sam Kerrs and Mackenzie Arnolds” would get the infrastructure and facilities they need to get ahead in their sport.

It follows Kerr’s plea in the wake of the devastating loss to England, that “we need funding in our development, we need funding in our grassroots. We need funding everywhere”.

Mr Albanese said the Matildas, alongside the Diamonds and the Wallaroos had captured the nation’s hearts and “changed Australian sport forever”, and that momentum must “ripple through generations”.

At least seven million Australians tuned in to watch Australia’s semi-final against England, not including the reported millions more who watched the game at live sites or at pubs across the country, a figure Mr Albanese said seemed impossible to grasp just years ago.

The Matildas will play for third place on Saturday evening. Picture: FRANCK FIFE / AFP

“We are going to see an explosion in participation in sport, and that is why this $200 million will make a difference, to not just recognise that this has been a moment of national inspiration, but to seize the opportunity for the next generation coming up to be able to fulfil the dreams that are being felt right around our nation,” he said.

The program will be open for applications from local government and community sporting clubs, but after the sports rorts saga of the previous coalition government, Sports Minister Anika Wells said she would not be making the final decisions on where funding goes.

Former Matilda’s player Tal Karp, basketball great Lauren Jackson, former Diamonds captain Liz Ellis, and Paralympian Madison de Rosario will form the expert panel.

Ms Wells said the program was a lasting legacy for women’s sport inspired by the Matilda’s tilt.

“They came very clearly eyed on a mission – to inspire the next generation,” she said.

“They wanted to give the country another Cathy Freeman moment. I reckon they’ve given us two... They’ve more than delivered on their mission, and it’s time for us to do our part.”

Karp said the Matilda’s had taken Australia on a journey, and there “had to be a legacy”.

The program will be available for all sports, but given soccer is the highest participation sport in the country – with around 1.5 million players nationally – it’s anticipated it will need “significant resourcing” in the wake of the Matildas’ impressive campaign.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will make the announcement on Saturday, ahead of the Matildas quest for third place. Picture: Matt Roberts – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images

Professional Footballers Australia co-chief executive Beau Busch said one-off “sugar hits” of funding from landmark events was a really important part of the strategy moving forward, but stressed the funding needed to trickle down.

“What we need to move towards is this sustainable and consistent level of investment from government that can allow us to make continual progress, rather than the sort of one off big investments into major, major, major events,” Mr Busch added.

“But equally what we need to do is ensure this consistent investment so we can build great professional leagues, and a really great grassroots experience as well.”

Women Onside chair Kerry Harris said the organisation, which advocates for the advancement of women’s sport, is “delighted” by the funding announcement.

“The past four weeks have demonstrated the depth and breadth of passion for women’s football and its commercial viability in this country,” she said.

“We are excited by the potential for this funding to level the playing field and supercharge the growth of the game in Australia. It will leave a lasting legacy from this incredible World Cup.”

Millions of Australians watched Wednesday’s semi-final match. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Brendan Read

Australians young and old jumped on the bandwagon over the past month, captured by the story and success of the Matildas – who will play off for third place in the World Cup on Saturday against Sweden.

But only 15 games of the tournament were streamed on free-to-air TV, while the other 49 were accessible only through Optus Sport, with many of those behind a paywall.

The government has stood by its commitment to anti-siphoning, saying free access to important events is important and the scheme needs to be modernised to include online services to “mitigate the risk of events slipping behind paywalls”.

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland will on Saturday release three reform models to consider to modernise the anti-siphoning scheme.

“Every Australian deserves the chance to enjoy live and free coverage of these events, no matter where they live or what they earn,” she said.

The government’s preferred model affirms free-to-air broadcasting services as the “safety net” for free access to “nationally important and culturally significant sporting events for all Australians”.

This would prevent streaming and online services, as well as subscription television broadcasters, from acquiring rights to coverage of an event on the list until a free-to-air broadcaster has a right to televise the event.

Ms Rowland said such reforms would “bring online services into the regulatory framework, and broaden the range of events on the list to include more women’s sports and Para-sports”.

All three reform options to be floated will include men’s and women’s rugby league, rugby union, cricket and soccer matches that involve a senior Australian representative team being added to the list.

Feedback on the proposals paper will inform the development of legislation to modernise the scheme and list, to be introduced in parliament in the months ahead.