The FIFA Women’s World Cup has captivated the nation, and the world, and finally brought much needed & well-deserved attention to women’s sport.
This has given us the opportunity to discuss what really matters such as equal pay, adequate facilities and proper investment – rather than a public holiday.
An unplanned public holiday comes with obvious costs to small business & their families, it disrupts schools, it places additional time pressure on public services such as courts and hospitals, it creates unnecessary stress for essential workers with children, and most importantly it distracts us from the conversation we need to be having around women’s sport.
The Coalition has announced that if elected it would boost female participation, improve grassroots sporting infrastructure and help keep sport membership affordable by investing $250 million into dedicated female facilities at local sporting clubs – something community sport has been calling out for. Something that goes beyond one day, a lasting impact.
The Matilda’s have been using their position as co-host of the FIFA’s Women’s World Cup to campaign for equal pay and advance women’s sport in Australia and abroad – not a public holiday.
It’s time we start listening to the women on the field when it comes to women’s sport and remain focussed on that.
