19 Nov 2024 | R&A Charter |
Government endorses women and girls charter
by Martin Blake
The Australian Government has endorsed the R&A’s Women in Golf Charter, throwing its weight behind the efforts of Golf Australia in engaging with women and girls in the sport.
Federal Sports Minister Anika Wells signed the charter on Monday at Parliament House in Canberra at a function attended by Golf Australia Chief Executive James Sutherland, WPGA Tour Australasia Chief Executive Karen Lunn and PGA of Australia Chair Ian Baker-Finch.
This follows the UK Government’s signing of the charter in 2019.
Minister Wells said the charter aligned with the Government’s desire for gender equity in sport.
She said she had become an unashamed golf convert since taking up the sport along with her children, and had joined the sport’s bandwagon.
“I am pumped by the womens’ and men’s PGA Tour of Australasia, I am watching the PGA channel, I am doing lessons, I am slicing, I am shanking and every now and then I land it on the fairway,” she said.
Minister Wells said that it was extremely encouraging that 49 percent of the 3.8 million adult Australians playing some form of golf last year, were female.
She said that sports which did not address gender equity were at risk of losing funding under the recent National Gender Equity in Sport Policy announced by the Federal Government.
“Thank you, golf for making it your mission to improve gender equity, rather than just relying on Government,” said Minister Wells. “Golf is a great game, and I know that the women’s charter will help more people experience how great it truly is.”
The R&A Charter was launched in 2018, and Golf Australia brought it to this country in 2021. So far 128 clubs and facilities around the country have become signatories, with a further 337 expressions of interest being logged.
Worldwide, more than 1500 clubs, organisations and facilities have committed to the foundation of the charter.
About the R&A Charter:
Golf Australia has committed to the R&A’s Women in Golf Charter that aims to enable more women and girls to maximise their potential at all levels of the sport. Golf Australia is now encouraging Australian golf clubs and facilities to become signatories of the R&A’s Women in Golf Charter, publicly stating their commitment to improving the sport for women & girls.