Lisa Chesters (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

On 3 February it was a historic moment for women's sport and for the AFL. At Ikon Park in Carlton we had the very first AFL women's football match. I have to say that I never thought I would stand in this place and say, 'Go the Pies!' I never thought I would stand in this place and say, 'Go the Blues!' But I was one of the few people cheering-on both teams, and there is a very good reason why. Four Bendigo Thunder players took to the field: Jessica Kennedy, Sarah Last, Bella Ayre and Emma Grant. It was actually quite emotional, when the anthem started playing, to see our girls on the main stage of AFL and women's footy.

AFL women's footy is growing: it is growing at a grassroots level; it is growing at a community level. There are hundreds of girls and hundreds of women now playing AFL. To think that five years ago we had neither this AFL women's competition nor the domestic competition that underpins it! There is an opportunity now for the federal government to get on board to help the AFL and help women's footy—help to fund the change rooms and the facilities that they need on the ground. We need to support women getting involved in this sport, and it is an opportunity for the Minister for Sport to help out.

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