Bocce Australia welcomes the Gender Equity Policy, which in September 2024, the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) introduced as the new Gender Equity in Sport Governance Policy aimed at increasing the representation of women in sports leadership roles.
Bocce Australia fully supports this initiative, which seeks to address the gender imbalance in governance across national and state-level sports bodies.
The policy outlines the following targets for gender equity:
- 50% of board directors must be women and/or gender diverse.
- 50% of board chairs must be women and/or gender diverse.
- 50% of specified board sub-committee members must be women and/or gender diverse.
Currently, only 25% of national sporting organisations and those for people with disabilities are chaired by women. Bocce Australia is proud to exceed national averages, with close to 54% gender diversity among its board directors.
This policy, a collaboration between the ASC and State and Territory Agencies for Sport and Recreation, will be rolled out nationwide. Organisations that do not meet these targets risk losing government funding. Minister for Sport, The Hon Anika Wells MP, stated, “We need more women making decisions for more women. This policy will help address the gender imbalances in sports leadership.”
ASC CEO Kieren Perkins OAM described the policy as a crucial step for the future of Australian sport, saying, “This groundbreaking policy will drive the sport sector forward as we build toward Brisbane 2032.”
Bocce Australia is committed to working alongside the ASC to ensure the successful implementation of these gender equity targets, fostering a more inclusive and diverse leadership in the sport of bocce.
Written by Frank Funari with excerpts from the original article by the Australian Sports Commission and related sources.