Football Australia

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA (Hartley) (15:21): My question is to the Minister for Tourism. Can the minister outline any discussions held with Football Australia to bring the Matildas and/or Socceroos to Adelaide in 2024? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: The Matildas have a home Olympic qualifier in February against Uzbekistan and the Socceroos have home World Cup qualifiers against Lebanon in March and Palestine in June, all without allocated venues since last checking.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON (Ramsay—Minister for Tourism, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (15:21): Thank you very much for the question. I think I can speak for all of us in this house about how exciting the FIFA Women's World Cup was here.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON: I will share with you the great joy I had when my son was playing FIFA on his Xbox—

Mr Pederick interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Hammond!

The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON: —and one day said, 'I'm Sam Kerr today on my Xbox.' I knew that had meant we had a change in how we view women's sport. But the reality is that this wouldn't have happened unless we had made the advocacy that we did—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister has the call.

The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON: Let's be honest here. Let's have a conversation about how close this came to not happening here in Adelaide.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON: This is pretty exceptional that you go, 'You have got to have them here', 'Why are you doing this?', 'Why are you doing that?' But we could have missed out entirely. What we had were five games here. Let's not forget that the China versus England match had 53 million viewers.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Hartley! Member for Elder! The exchange between the member for Elder and the member for Hartley will cease. Order, member for Reynell!

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: Point of order: standing order 98. The question was actually non-provocative and direct in relation to three games coming up and seeking advice as to whether the government was seeking them.

The SPEAKER: Very well. I will listen carefully. I will bring the minister to the question.

The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON: Well, certainly. I think that the question of women's sport and what we will have here is something that we look forward to time and time again. Our conversations with Football Australia continue. They were incredibly impressed with the role that we played during the FIFA Women's World Cup. And, of course, madam was very supportive, in her own words.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Florey is warned for a final time, and the member for Chaffey is very, very close to standing order 137A.

The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON: We will continue to have those conversations with Football Australia, given the increased presence of South Australia and the knowledge of the major events that we deliver.

Mr Patterson interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Morphett, order!

The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON: What is more important—as much as we continue these conversations for additional games—is the legacy that comes from the FIFA Women's World Cup. Correct me if I am wrong, but is it $18 million, minister, to dedicate ourselves to female sport here in South Australia? We know that $10 million of that is going to—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON: —football in South Australia, and additional moneys to other sports as well. But what does this this do? This builds on a legacy of authenticity and commitment to women's participation in sport. In my own electorate we have the women's change rooms at the Salisbury Football Club.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Order, members to my left and to my right, and I think I hear the member for Chaffey! The member for Morialta under 134.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: Thank you, sir. Standing order 98: the question was specific and directly related to three upcoming games, and we are keen to know if the government is trying to get them.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! That may be, but it may also be that the minister has concluded her answer.

The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON: I will end by saying that I stand here proudly, part of a government that supports women's participation in sport, and we will continue to do so.