Wednesday, 18 June 2025

 Georgie PURCELL (Northern Victoria) (12:00): (949) My question is for the Minister for Community Sport in the other place. The recent budget defunded the Office for Women in Sport and Recreation and the preventing violence through sport grants program, both immensely successful and the first of their kind in Australia. With a comparatively small budget and few staff, the office had provided 580 grants to community sports clubs and organisations across Victoria, facilitated the Fair Access Policy Roadmap and administered the Change Our Game initiative. Key stakeholders and the wider public have been left completely in the dark on this decision. The only information from the government on this decision is that the functions of the office will continue within Sport and Recreation Victoria. Could the minister outline how exactly the government will now continue to support women’s sport?

 Gayle TIERNEY (Western Victoria – Minister for Skills and TAFE, Minister for Water) (12:01): This is a matter for the Minister for Community Sport, and it will be referred to her. I thank the member for her ongoing interest in women’s participation in sport.

 Georgie PURCELL (Northern Victoria) (12:01): Thank you, Minister, for referring that on. Will the minister commit to meeting with key stakeholders such as Women Sport Australia and the advocacy group Not All Clubs to provide further detail to them about this decision?

 Gayle TIERNEY (Western Victoria – Minister for Skills and TAFE, Minister for Water) (12:01): The supplementary question will be referred to the minister. Of course the minister may have already met some of the stakeholders that you have referred to, and it clearly is a matter for the minister to determine who she meets with.