Labor welcomes the South Australian Liberal State Government’s backflip on Football Federation Australia’s bid to host the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
As Shadow Federal Minister for Sport, I was extremely disappointed to hear reports in early August that the SA State Liberal Government was turning down the chance to potentially host the Matildas under the international football spotlight.
SA Labor launched a petition calling on Steven Marshall’s Liberal Government to back the FFA’s bid because Labor understands that South Australia is a great football state and that South Australians are great supporters of women in sport.
This was clearly illustrated when 53,034 packed Adelaide Oval for the Crows AFLW Grand Final victory in March, a record crowd that the State Government completely failed to anticipate or plan and provide for.
That failure came after the SA Liberals had cut the State’s $24 million Female Facilities Program and discontinued the South Australian Women in Sport Taskforce.
It is unfortunate that it has taken the SA Liberal State Government three months to admit they were wrong but a late win for women’s sport is better than a defeat.
I encourage Steven Marshall and the SA Liberals to avoid another backflip and continue working with the FFA to fully explore every opportunity for South Australia to be part of a potential FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia.