Protect Women and Girls in Sport

I’m drafting a Bill to protect single-sex sport for Australian women and girls.

Single-sex sport for women and girls is a fundamental good for our society.

It has given us unforgettable Olympic Gold medal moments and world champions who have inspired the nation.

Millions of Australian parents and grandparents have proudly watched their daughters’ and granddaughters’ sporting achievements: playing their first game, winning their first trophy, making their first state team, or getting their first professional contract.

Yet under Australia’s Sex Discrimination Act, sporting codes, clubs and volunteers can have legal action taken against them for offering single-sex women’s sport.

That’s why I’m drafting a Bill to put a stop to this and restore the rights of women and girls in sport.

Single-sex sport for women and girls should not only be legal, it should be celebrated, promoted and encouraged at every level of sport.

My Bill will be based on these key principles:

• Single-sex sport for women and girls will be lawful: nobody, whether it’s our biggest national sporting codes or a volunteer at the local footy club, will be breaking Commonwealth Law by offering single-sex women’s sport.
• The law applies equally to everyone at every level of sport: women’s single-sex sport is not a privilege only for elite competitions, it’s just as important at local level.
• The law must be simple to understand and administer: sporting clubs and codes shouldn’t have to hire teams of lawyers, doctors and sport scientists to prove they can keep their women’s sport’s competitions and teams single-sex.
• Trans people will NOT be banned from playing sport: I continue to support trans people playing in sport – it’s up to sporting codes to offer both single-sex sport for women and other options that support participation for everyone.

I welcome your feedback on the Sex Discrimination Act 1984. Please email your suggestions to [email protected].

Thank you very much for your support to help change the law, restore common sense, and protect women and girls in sport.

Yours sincerely,