Equal Pay for Equal Play NSW
Petitioner:
Miss Lucy Small
| Member:
Haylen, Jo
| No. of Signatories:
1,412
| Date closed:
01/12/2021
To the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly,
In April 2021, surfer Lucy Small was handed a cheque for winning a competition where she received $1500 for coming first while the men’s winner on the same day – in the same conditions, riding the same waves – received $4000.
The community response to this gender-based inequity spurred Surfing Australia to update its rulebook to require all affiliated clubs to offer equal prize money to both genders when running competitions.
There is, however, nothing stopping organisations that are not affiliated with Surfing Australia from continuing to offer unequal prizemoney, opportunities and failing to proactively encourage and support women and girl’s participation.
This occurs in other sports too. Women face degrading toilets or changing room conditions, fewer opportunities to play and fewer coaching resources or training opportunities.
We’re calling for gender equity to be made a condition for sporting organisations and clubs to receive State Government grants, funding, and tenders. To be eligible for government grants, funding and tenders, sporting organisations must have:
• equal prize money for both boys and girls, and men and women, at all levels of competition,
• equal opportunity (entry positions, space, time, training, resources) to participate in events including competitions and training. This extends to administrative and management including coaching pathways, referees, event officials and judges, media representatives and board members.
• an actionable strategy to increase the participation, engagement and ongoing support of women and girls at all levels of competition.
