Tuesday, 15 August 2023

Ministers statements: women’s sport

Steve DIMOPOULOS (Oakleigh – Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, Minister for Creative Industries) (14:19): We are all spellbound by the Matildas. No other Australian football team has got this far in the World Cup, ever. It is the semifinals; we are all on the edge of our seats. Millions of people watched online, both on streaming services and on TV. Thousands filled Federation Square and other venues. And who can forget the joy of Sam Kerr racing out on the pitch after her injury and Cortnee Vine actually scoring the last goal to get us into the semifinals?

Just a week earlier, people forget that the beautiful Diamonds, in a beautiful display of prowess, won the World Cup against England in South Africa. Do you know what? We had their backs – literally. On the back of their kit was Victorian government support. The pride, the inspiration – these moments galvanise the country. They galvanise support for women’s sport – the athleticism and the exceptional quality of female professional sports.

We have invested in the home of the Matildas – $40 million there – and $150 million for AFLW high-performance infrastructure and game-day infrastructure. We have invested $15 million into the Diamonds, the national netball team. Do you know what? We did not have uniform support. In fact those opposite criticised us. One coalition MP said of that investment into the Diamonds that it was ‘nothing more than a cynical vote-buying exercise’. Well, tell the Diamonds, who won the World Cup in South Africa for this proud nation, that that was a cynical vote-buying exercise.

We have invested in other areas – the State Netball Hockey Centre. I have not even touched on the investments by my colleague the Minister for Community Sport that have touched grassroots communities across Victoria. We have always believed in women’s sport. We did not just jump on the bandwagon in the last few weeks.

Paul Edbrooke interjected.

The SPEAKER: The member for Frankston can leave the chamber for half an hour.

Member for Frankston withdrew from chamber.