$300,000 to boost women in sport

Minister of Sport Grant Robertson says sexism and underrepresentation of women in sport in New Zealand has to stop.

On the eve of International Women’s Day, the government announced it will contribute

$300,000 over four years to women’s sport and to the group that made the successful bid to host the 8th International Working Group on Women in Sport conference, to be held in 2022.

Of that, $75,000 per year will go to employing someone fulltime to lead the international secretariat group and set up a women in sport programme. Robertson said this would only be the start of the government’s contribution.

‘‘Whatever is required to make it happen, we will make it happen,’’ he said.

In 2022, Auckland will host the

8th World Conference of the International Working Group on Women in Sport (IWG). The bid was a joint effort by Sport NZ, Women in Sport Aotearoa (WISPA), the NZ Olympic Committee and Auckland Tourism, Events & Economic Development (ATEED).

Robertson said although there had been some progress in recognising women’s sport in New Zealand, there was still a long way to go and it would be his ‘‘number one priority’’ as sports minister.

‘‘Sport is at the heart of our country’s identity and if something is at the heart of our country’s identity, and we allow blatant sexism and underrepresentation of women to continue, then that will be at the heart of our identity as a country and none of us want that.’’

The drop-off rate for young girls in sport is much higher than for boys, and the pay gap between men and women’s elite sport is miles apart. The secretariat will aim to address both issues over the next four years.

‘‘There is so much opportunity, but we are also letting ourselves down. What are we doing to enable elite careers in sport for women? We clearly aren’t doing that as well as we should be,’’ said Robertson.

The secretariat host flag will be handed over to New Zealand during the upcoming IWG conference on women and sport in Gaborone, Botswana this May.

Robertson spoke in Auckland on Wednesday to help launch the newly formed Wonderful Group’s It Takes Two mentoring programme. The programme helps young women with ambitions to work in sports media by drawing on the experience of women already in the industry, in turn empowering these mentors to strive for leadership roles.

Kereyn Smith, CEO of the New Zealand Olympic Committee, says now is the time for the New Zealand government and sporting communities to act. ‘‘We need to harness the opportunity to promote health, wellbeing and opportunity for New Zealand women and girls through sport,’’ she said.