The Hon Rod Kemp was Minister for the Arts and Sport from Friday 23 November 2001 to Tuesday 30 January 2007. This site is available for archival purposes only.

More women to take up sports leadership role

More than 200 Australian women will have a greater chance to become leaders in sport, thanks to the 2006-07 Women Sports Leadership Grants announced by the Minister for the Arts and Sport, Senator Rod Kemp and the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women's Issues, Julie Bishop today.

The Australian Government, through the Australian Sports Commission and the Office for Women, has provided $400,000 in funding for the latest national grants scheme which allows more women to pursue leadership opportunities across many levels of Australian sport.

Senator Kemp and Minister Bishop said the Australian Government through the 2006-07 Women Sport Leadership Grants remains committed to encouraging more women to take up leadership and decision-making roles, to improve the strength and growth of Australian sport.

“Over the last five years, more than 13,000 women across Australia have benefited from grants worth more than $1.6 million to contribute to the development of sports leadership skills and training,” Senator Kemp said.

“This grants scheme enables more Australian women to undertake accredited sports leadership training in coaching and officiating and sport administration, sport governance and management where traditionally they tend to be under-represented.”

Minister Bishop said that the 229 successful recipients of the 2006 Women Sports Leadership Grants included a broad range of women and organisations who reflect the depth and diversity of Australian sport.

“Grant recipients will serve as important role models to encourage and inspire other women into sports leadership positions,” she said.

Grants recipients reflect the five key areas of high performance coaching and officiating; Indigenous women in rural and remote communities; women in disability sport; women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and women in general sport leadership.

Rina Hore, the first women to be appointed to the board of Cricket New South Wales will use the grant to pursue further professional development through an Australian Institute of Company Directors Course. She will help enable other women to take up leadership roles within the sport. Olympian Gillian Rolton of Adelaide , South Australia is upgrading her qualifications in National Dressage Judging to gain knowledge and expertise as an International Eventing Official. This means more home-based equestrian riders can be judged to an international standard.

Football Federation of Australia (FFA) will use the grant to create career pathways for up to four Matilda footballers who aspire to take up coaching at the grassroots and elite level. FFA's My Football Career program will provide guidance and mentoring for the development of potential coaches.

Alison Daniel of Thornleigh, New South Wales will pursue education in coaching which supports more athletes with a disability to get involved in a range of winter sports including alpine and cross-country events.

Culture, Recreation and Tourism Training Advisory Council of the Northern Territory will provide education and mentoring for up to 10 Indigenous women to become sport and recreation officers. Currently most of the Indigenous sport and recreation officers in the NT are male. This project provides opportunities for up to 10 Indigenous women to be trained as sport and recreation officers.

Gulf Sport and Recreation Association has identified a need for more qualified coaches in softball, swimming, hockey and touch football. It is making a difference by training up to 30 softball coaches and 20 swimming coaches across the Gulf of Carpentaria region.

A full list of grant recipients based in your local area is available for publication.

1 NOVEMBER 2006

Media Contacts:

Senator Kemp Michael Christo 0409 040 276

Minister Bishop Murray Hansen 0417 886 155