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Victorian Minister for Sport and Recreation Damian Drum has announced that Richmond Football Club President Peggy O’Neal will chair a new Taskforce appointed by the Victorian Government that will advise on encouraging more women to take on governance and leadership roles in sport. 

In front of senior representatives of the sport and recreation sector at last week’s Ministerial Stakeholder Forum in Melbourne, Minister Drum said the Taskforce would feature some of Victoria’s top female sport and recreation industry leaders who will be working with the sector to identify and overcome barriers to participation.

Minister Drum announced that O’Neal, the first female to lead an AFL club, has agreed to take on the important role of chairing the Taskforce, stating “Peggy O’Neal has broken through the glass ceiling to be the first female leader at an AFL club and that experience makes her the perfect person to lead this taskforce.

“Since becoming Sports Minister and having sight right across the sports sector, my mind has been opened further to just how important female sport is to the sector, and at least anecdotally it seems that across the board females are still under-represented in leadership roles.

“This new Taskforce aims to identify and address those barriers that prevent females from realising their potential in the sport and recreation industry, and whether lack of females in leadership positions affects things such as participation in sport and media coverage.

“We’re committed to delivering even more opportunities for women to get involved in all aspects of sport and recreation including playing, coaching and leadership roles – we think a taskforce that will be chaired by one of the most outstanding contemporary leaders in sport will make sure we have the right advice.”

The Taskforce will work over the next 12 month period and will deliver a report to support the sport and recreation sector.

For more information about the Women in Sport Taskforce please visit www.dtpli.vic.gov.au/sport

Click here to read Sport and Recreation Victoria's report on the Women in Sport Taskforce.

Image courtesy of Richmond FC. 

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