Queensland Government Triples Inclusive Facilities Fund to $30 Million

Grant Opportunities for Queensland Sporting Clubs

The Queensland Government has announced an additional $37 million in women’s and girls’ sports, inspired by the success of Australia’s Matildas in the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023. This funding injection aims to boost active participation and support women’s sports across the state. The new investment includes:

• Inclusive Facilities Fund: The Inclusive Facilities Fund will receive a substantial increase from $10 million to $30 million. This fund supports the development of new and upgraded change rooms and amenities that meet universal design principles, including female facilities.
• Queensland Women’s Football Legacy Fund: The Queensland Government is increasing its contribution to the Queensland Women’s Football Legacy Fund from $4 million to $6 million. This fund, created in response to the community’s enthusiasm for the FIFA Women’s World Cup, now totals $10 million and is aimed at supporting women’s football development.
• Active Clubs Program: An additional $15 million funding round in the Activate! Queensland’s Active Clubs program will provide support for community sport and recreation organisations. This funding will be used to create an inclusive environment for women and girls, encompassing activities like volunteer training, equipment acquisition, and targeted programs.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk emphasised the government’s commitment to providing greater access to sports for women and girls, highlighting the Matildas’ inspirational impact. The Queensland Government’s investment aims to capitalise on the momentum generated by the Matildas and ensure lasting positive outcomes from the FIFA Women’s World Cup, leading up to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

As a Queensland Disability Peak Body representing the needs of Queenslanders with hearing loss, we welcome this new funding. We note that Sports Minister Stirling Hinchliffe has stated this new funding will be focussed on constructing inclusive facilities, like female-friendly changerooms, to ensure that women and girls have the necessary infrastructure to excel in sports.

We would also like to highlight the need for accessible facilities when it comes to catering for people with hearing loss. Matilda’s goalkeeping superstar, Mackenzie Arnold provides no better evidence of that. The Matildas’ success in the FIFA Women’s World Cup helped spotlight the impact hearing loss has on all Australians, even our elite sports representatives.

1 in 6 Australians are currently impacted by hearing loss, and the numbers continue to rise. We believe more focus should be placed on hearing accessibility, noting the Inclusive Facilities Fund was established to help “enhance accessibility, safety, and inclusiveness, including for women and girls and people with disability”.

We would encourage all sports clubs and teams to contact us to discuss how they can improve accessibility for those in their teams, spectators, and visitors with Australia’s most pervasive disability: hearing loss. We will be happy to provide guidance and advice on submitting a grant application, which opens on 27 September.