17/08/2023
A message from our CEO - Claire Marshall
Last night, Australia watched with collective pride as our Matildas played the World Cup quarter finals. The incredible success of our women's team is reflective of the steps we've taken as a society to address gender inequality. Looking at the last 40 years of progress is illuminating.
In 2019, NSW was the last state to decriminalise abortion and for the first time, we had a gender-equal Australian Senate. In 2018, the Matildas became the first soccer team in the world to be paid
the same as the men's team. In 2018, the tampon tax was repealed. In 2017, the AFLW and Super Netball was launched, with women joining men at the national, elite level of sporting and women in cricket received equal pay. In 2016, the first First Nations woman was elected to the House of Representatives and the Australian women's Olympic team took home 6 of our 8 gold medals. In 2013, the Australian Sports Commission set mandatory targets for Board gender equality in national sporting organisations. In 2012, private companies across Australia with more than 100 employees were required by law to report against gender equality indicators, with sporting organisations joining public reporting. In 2010, the first woman was appointed as our Prime Minister. In 2008, the first woman was elected as governor general. In 2005, we appointed our first woman AFL Commissioner. In 2012, a woman was appointed the first CEO of Basketball Australia, and for the first time a woman joined the board of Cricket Australia.
In 1992, the last of the states made it a crime to r**e someone you were married to. In 1990, we elected our first women premiers. In 1988, our Hockeyroos team won our first women's gold in the Olympics. In 1987, the first woman was appointed to the High Court. In 1985, the first woman was inducted in the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. In 1984, federal legislation made it illegal across Australia to discriminate against someone because of their gender and the IAS named their first woman athlete of the year. In 1983, Australia ratified international legislation to eliminate discrimination against women.
It is a glorious high after the past 40 years of reform, change, and inclusion. 40 years of striving toward equality - in our community, business, representation and in sports.
Today, little kids of all genders wear Matildas shirts and say Sam Kerr - one of the best forwards of all time - is their hero. We came together as a country and community to cheer an extraordinary team. Equality in sport reflects equality in the community. I'll be watching with my teeth clenched on Saturday night as we fight for third place as some of the best sportspeople in the world.
