Women Sport Australia applauds Samantha Kerr being named Young Australian of the Year and calls for more exceptional women in sport to be considered and recognised with Australia Day honours and other major awards.
WSA is pleased and proud leading Matilda player Sam Kerr has been honoured and a number of other remarkable sports women have been conferred with an Australia Day honour. (List follows)
“For too long elite female athletes, including Olympic swimming champion Shane Gould and golfing great Jan Stephenson, have been overlooked when it comes to major awards and honours in Australia,” said Louise Evans, Communications Director at Women Sport Australia.
“It is high time women in sport, who have reached the top, on and off the field, are also recognised publically as among the highest achievers in Australia.”
“Many of the exceptional women recognised today triumphed at a time when equal pay, equal working conditions and equal media coverage were pipe dreams.”
“Their public recognition as pioneering trail blazers, role models and mentors will help inspire younger women to follow in their historic footsteps, to play and succeed in sport and to help create a healthier, more egalitarian Australia.”
“We (Women Sport Australia) believe more extraordinary women in sport need to be considered and recognised in next year’s Australia Day Honours and awards also in June in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.”
Women Sport Australia is the peak national advocacy body for all women in all sport.
Leading women in sport recognised in the Australia Day Honours include:
Companion of the Order
+ (Late) Betty Cuthbert, AM MBE, athletics and role model
+ Evonne Goolagong-Cawley, AO MBE, tennis and the health, education and wellbeing of young indigenous people through participation in sport
Officer of the Order
+ Belinda Clarke, AM, cricket and role model
+ Liz Ellis, AM, netball, advocacy for young women and media
+ Karrie Webb, AM, golf, role model, mentor and the development of female players
Member of the Order
+ Shane Gould, MBE, swimming and water safety in developing countries
+ Rechelle Hawkes, OAM, hockey, role model and commentator
+ Susie O’Neill, OAM, swimming, role model and mentor
Medal of the Order
+ Jan Stephenson, golf
