The Australian Sports Commission should adopt a 40:40:20 target for the boards of Australia’s National Sporting Organisations (NSOs) to ensure gender representation better reflects funding levels and sporting outcomes.
In the three Olympic Games 2000, 2004 and 2008, Australian female athletes won 22 of our 46 gold medals (48 per cent). And women won three of the seven gold medals Australia picked up at the London games.
Yet in 2012 hold just 23.4 per cent of the board seats of the 64 National Sporting Organisations (NSOs).
Equally disappointing is that as government funding increases the proportion of women at board level seems to decrease. The recent Women on Boards 2012 Boardroom Diversity Index shows that 11 of 21 NSOs received in excess of $2 million from the Australian Sports Commission yet have 25 per cent or fewer women on their boards. The two top funded sports of Paralympics ($12.8 million) and Swimming Australia ($11 million) both have only one female board member.
It is not until you move to the lower end of the funding spectrum that the statistics start to improve, with many NSOs that receive considerably less than $1 million in funding having at least 40 per cent female representation. Netball Australia was the clear exception when this research was done and, with 100 per cent women on its board until it recently appointed its first male, was looking like it could do with appointing some men.
Women on Boards recommends that the Australian Sports Commission become more activist in relation to the requirements for gender diversity and adopt a 40% men – 40% women – 20% mixed gender target for the boards of NSOs. Or once again in Rio, women will do equally well at the Olympics but remain out of key influence and decision making roles.
Top funded NSOs and the percentage of female directors
|
Organisation |
Percentage of female board members |
Funding ($million) |
|
Australian Paralympic Committee |
10.0  |
12.8 |
|
Swimming Australia Ltd |
11.1 |
11 |
|
Football Federation Australia |
12.5 |
9.1 |
|
Rowing Australia |
12.5 |
8.2 |
|
Cycling Australia |
18.2 |
8 |
|
Athletics Australia |
25.0 |
8 |
|
Basketball Australia |
14.3 |
6.3 |
|
Australian Canoeing |
16.7 |
4.3 |
|
Gymnastics Australia Inc |
25.0 |
3.5 |
|
Australian Volleyball Federation |
14.3 |
3.1 |
|
Diving Australia Inc |
16.7 |
2.2 |
|
Australian Baseball Federation |
12.5 |
1.6 |
|
Surfing Australia |
12.5 |
1.6 |
|
Boxing Australia |
20.0 |
1.6 |
|
Surf Life Saving Australia |
10.0 |
1.3 |
|
Squash Australia |
20.0 |
1.3 |
|
Australian Rugby Union |
0.0 |
1.2 |
|
Australian Football League Commission |
22.2 |
1.2 |
|
Ski and Snowboard |
11.1 |
1.1 |
|
Rugby League – Australian Rugby League |
0.0 |
1 |