Ministerial Statement

Adelaide Crows AFL Women's Team

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL (Mawson—Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Tourism, Minister for Recreation and Sport, Minister for Racing) (14:19): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: On behalf of all South Australians, I congratulate each and every member of South Australia's Crows AFL Women's team in winning the 2017 inaugural AFL Women's premiership in front of more than 15,000 fans at the Gold Coast. On Saturday, in a historic grand final, Australians witnessed a landmark victory for the Crows and for the many generations of women who have dreamed of playing AFL.

The first co-captains of the Crows' inaugural AFL Women's winning team both proved they are exceptional leaders. Chelsea Randall is a two-time winner of the Western Australian Women's Football League's best and fairest and Erin Phillips is a basketball Olympic silver medallist, world champion, WNBA champion—twice she has won that title—grand final best on ground, the AFL Women's Players Association most valuable player and she is a favourite to win tonight's AFL Women's individual award.

I think it is time that we saw female names on the grandstands at the Adelaide Oval, the home of the code in South Australia, next to the greats already commemorated there.

Mr Whetstone: What, eight games? Eight games and they're up there?

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: The member for Chaffey doesn't think that women should be commemorated, by his interjections.

Mr Whetstone: Stick to the script, tool of the week.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: I will pass it on to Erin Phillips that the member for Chaffey doesn't think she's up to being honoured in South Australia.

The SPEAKER: The minister will be seated. I heard the remark of the member for Chaffey. Does he propose to do something about it?

Mr WHETSTONE: It was on radio yesterday, sir.

The SPEAKER: No, I was referring to the member for Chaffey's unparliamentary remark and I am asking him to withdraw it and apologise to the house for the use of such language in question time.

Mr WHETSTONE: I withdraw and apologise for calling the minister 'tool of the week'.

The SPEAKER: If any member apologises and withdraws on those terms again in my time as Speaker, I will name them. Minister, are you finished?

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: Thank you, Mr Speaker. It is also not possible to overstate the extent of Bec Goddard's extraordinary achievement as coach, leading the team to claim the inaugural AFL Women's premiership. To the rest of the team, many of whom switched sporting codes to achieve the premiership, it's nothing short of remarkable.

Before the inaugural season started, we heard many naysayers talking down the league, stating it would not work and it would not last. I think those people can now reflect on what has been a remarkable season with massive crowds and a loyal following around the nation, which can only grow from here.

The state government is a keen supporter of women achieving equality in South Australian sport. We want to raise the participation and profile of women and girls in sport in South Australia and ensure there is a place and space for them. We fund and support sports programs to increase women's participation and have also committed $10 million in the latest budget to build new or upgrade existing women's change room facilities. I want to put on the record my thanks to the Treasurer for all the work that he has done in that area.

Women and girls who play sport should have access to exactly the same level of facilities as boys and men. Having female change rooms at sporting clubs sends an important message to women and girls: they are welcome and they are wanted. We also committed $500,000 to the Crows to support what will be continued growth of grassroots female participation.

Since the inaugural AFL Women's league was launched, many women have come forward through the media to share their experience as young girls whose dreams of playing AFL were thwarted in their early teens. They have also told of how overjoyed they felt to finally watch professional women's AFL. Their greatest joy is knowing younger generations will follow in the footsteps of this inaugural league of players. We are incredibly proud of the Crows' outstanding performance in the first AFL Women's league, and are delighted with the way our state got behind this great team of pioneering female athletes. I even saw the Premier in a Crows scarf, and I heard the Treasurer utter those words I never thought he would utter, 'Go Crows.'

On behalf of all South Australians, Port supporters included, it is with the greatest pleasure that I again congratulate the premiership-winning Crows, their exceptional coach, Bec Goddard, and all the fans who got behind this great team on a truly stunning and well deserved win.