Anne Aly (Cowan, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Early Childhood Education) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to acknowledge the great work of Ted Nguyen and the Westnam United Soccer Club in Cowan, who are doing some great work in empowering young women among the Cowan community.

We know that sport isn't just about physical activity—certainly not for me—or competition. It can be a means of personal growth and, of course, confidence building and team building. This is particularly true for young women, who can often face societal barriers to inclusion. Sports can be a very effective mechanism for empowering them. Beyond personal development, sport also provides young women with a sense of community and a sense of belonging. When they join sporting teams, they become part of a supportive network of peers and mentors, who can help them to navigate some of the challenges that they face both on the field and off the field. And through sports young women can learn to work collaboratively and they can develop leadership skills, both of which are critical for success in any professional field that they may choose to pursue.

I think all of us in this place recognise the economic and social impact that sports participation can have on young people and—in the case of Cowan—on young women in the electorate that I represent. That's why I was so pleased that Westnam United have created a young women's team, which they launched late last year. I congratulate Bweh Say, who has been elected as the captain of the team. She's done some really tremendous work in helping the club and the Cowan community to set up a platform for girls to participate in football—or soccer, as we know it in Australia.

Like the electorate of Cowan, the women's team is diverse. The players in the women's team were born in places throughout Asia, throughout Africa and, really, all over the world. Late last year, the women's team had a fantastic debut in the 2022 Perth African Nations Cup, which we know as the PAN Cup, where they represented Guinea. They finished up in second place in the women's division. I had the absolute privilege of attending the finals, because it is literally just across the road from my house, and I'm extremely proud of that team and the results. This year the team represented Vietnam in the 2023 Perth World Cup. I wish them the very best in the upcoming Perth Women's World Cup later this year, something I'm sure they're very hard at work training for.

It's an honour and privilege to have worked with Westnam over the years, and, as the member for Cowan, I'll continue to support them in all their endeavours and thank them for what they do for the Cowan community.

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