Ken Wyatt (Hasluck, Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Lalor for this motion. It's important that we acknowledge the efforts of individuals. I think of Margaret Court, when she first played, and I watched her play in many of those elite high-level games of tennis across the world, particularly Wimbledon; of Evonne Goolagong, when she played and beat Margaret Court, and the sense of pride that you have in two significant Australians at that part of our life; and then, more recently, of Sam Kerr and many others.

But I also want to turn our minds to the young women in our electorates who are starting the pathway to a direction that will give them an opportunity was denied so many years ago to women in sport. I consider the Swan Districts Football Club, which I'm associated with, and their women's football team, building the capacity of those women to play in a competition that they love, supported by the Hills Football Association, again giving young women the opportunity and watching them go on to be part of an AFL team and operate at the elite levels.

Then I think of baseball, softball, and T-ball—young girls starting a journey being encouraged to demonstrate their capacity to reach the elite level of sport, because it is at that level that we need to nurture, we need to encourage and we need to build and instil a confidence that we as a nation will give as much attention to our young women in sport as we used to give to males. I think we've seen this quantum shift, given the successes of the Matildas, and many of our other international competitors in national sports—for example, swimming at the Olympics.

Each time I meet someone who has reached that elite level, I'm taken aback by the humility that they often show. I met with the Paralympic team. The women in that team had hopes and aspirations, which, with support, they were able to achieve. They were at a standard and a level that encouraged them to move beyond the restrictions of what they saw as barriers. We've removed many of those barriers.

I also want to acknowledge the people who are doing the coaching, the people who encourage young women to take that journey and, equally, the very elite coaches who dedicate time to refining the skills. It was absolutely tremendous watching Ash Barty play with calmness and poise. She had that killer instinct to win while also being gracious. I loved the fact that when she lost she said: 'It's a game. I enjoyed it.' That is a great quality that is important to have.

Women in sport are continuing to excel. Our coalition government is making funding available for change rooms for women in sporting clubs. This will help provide the women with the same opportunities that men have—unique structures and infrastructure that makes them comfortable. In my own electorate, there were two clubs that came and saw me and said: 'The women don't shower after the games. They've got to go home. We want to give them something to allow them to be part of the camaraderie of our sporting facility and our club, and allow them to be an equal part of the journey of the males within our club.'

That shift is a quantum shift, and it is because of the programs that we put into place. But, equally, as members in this place, we can take a leadership role in influencing the way in which people think about providing young women with every opportunity to excel. I met a young archer who came from Western Australia, who played with an old bow and the arrows were second-hand. She competed in a national competition, because we provided those sporting scholarships. She went away, came over to the east, competed in Sydney and won the event. Part of the prize was an elite bow and arrow outfit that made it easier for her in some of the national competitions.

Women who compete in equestrian events are being encouraged, not only in dressage, because it is important that we give that level of support. I would strongly recommend that we continue to support our women, and I thank the member for Lalor for this opportunity to recognise the competencies and skills of our women in their sporting adventures and in what they achieve.

Debate interrupted.

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