Marielle Smith (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

nator MARIELLE SMITH () (): My question is to the Minister for Women, Senator Payne. In response to a question about the government's sports rorts scandal, at the National Press Club on 29 January, the Prime Minister said:

… we didn't want to see girls changing in cars or out the back of the sheds rather than having their own changing facilities. That's why we did it.

Given women's participation in sport was the key motivation behind the Community Sport Infrastructure Grants Program, what role did the Minister for Women play in the allocation of grants?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for her question. This government is absolutely committed to ensuring and maximising the participation of women and girls in sports of all kinds across Australia, and that is demonstrated in a range of our policies, including the one that the senator has referred to. As Minister for Women, I played no role in the specific administration of the program, but I would not expect to, Senator. I would not expect to because the sport program itself is comprehensive in addressing these issues.

As the Prime Minister has indicated—and, in fact, as I think any of us who seriously look at our communities and who seriously look at the changing levels of the participation of young women and girls, particularly in sport, would recognise—there are countless examples of inadequate facilities across this country. As a government, we took a decision to support those girls, those young women and other women into sport. If you choose not to do that, that's a matter for you, but we choose to support the increased participation of girls and women in sport.

In fact, while we're on the subject of girls and women in sport, I might draw the attention of the chamber to the Women's T20 World Cup, which is coming up very, very shortly. If you can be at the MCG on Sunday 8 March, you can contribute to scoring an international world record for Australia—the largest number of attendees at a women's sporting event in the history of the world: the Women's T20 World Cup. I would encourage all of those opposite, all of those in the other chamber and everyone behind me to be part of that world-breaking event.

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! We're not at the MCG at the moment. Can I have some silence, please. Senator Smith, a supplementary question?

Marielle Smith (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Does the minister support a rugby club in the marginal seat of Sturt getting funds for female change rooms despite having no female teams, reportedly after a sexism scandal, while dozens of clubs with a growing number of girls and women's teams and a high score from Sport Australia missed out because they were in safe Labor, Liberal or Nationals seats?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I absolutely support the increased provision of facilities for women and girls in sporting facilities across this country. And it would seem to me to beg logic to suggest that women's facilities cannot be provided at clubs that currently don't run women's programs, because I fail to understand how you would then encourage women to participate. But that's a point of logic which may be lost on others. Nevertheless, it is absolutely this government's approach and this government's policy that we will take steps to maximise and encourage the participation of girls and women across all sporting codes. We don't see rugby union as a gendered sport. We see rugby union as a sport for women and for men, for girls and for boys, and that goes for the vast range of sports across this country, and that is the approach we have taken.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Smith, a final supplementary question?

Marielle Smith (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, given at least—

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Smith, I'll allow you to restart, as I couldn't hear a word because of the noise on both sides of the chamber.

Marielle Smith (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you. Given at least 12 of the highest-ranked applications the government rejected were for female facilities and projects supporting female participation, can the minister explain the Prime Minister's claim that funding decisions were predominantly focused on supporting women's participation in sport?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for the supplementary question. I have been absolutely clear in articulating this government's policy about maximising and enabling the participation of girls and women in sports of all natures across Australia. Minister Cormann has been through and Minister Colbeck has been through in detail the nature of the grants that were provided to absolutely outline where our commitments lie. I was not aware that those opposite were not supportive of advancing the engagement of girls and women in sport. That would seem to be the case. I find it very disappointing.

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, as much as I would like to keep listening to Senator Payne, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.