Basketball icon Lauren Jackson joins call for recognition of women in sports

It comes amid challenges of underrepresentation and a looming gender pay gap in Australia

BY Dexter Tilo 01 Sep 2022

Australian basketball icon Lauren Jackson is calling for further participation and recognition of women in sports ahead of the upcoming Jobs and Skills Summit this week. During the inaugural Women in Sport Workforce Roundtable, the Women's National Basketball League star underscored the importance of women's access in the industry in order to address the gender pay gap.

"While women are increasingly being recognised for their on-field excellence, we need to improve access and recognition for women in off-field roles," Jackson said. "It is pretty simple, boosting women's workforce participation in sport can help build the workforce required and close the gender pay gap."

The basketball legend was joined in the roundtable by other prominent names in the industry, including CEO of Paralympics Australia Catherine Clark, former Olympian Linley Frame, Football Australia Head of Women's Performance Sarah Walsh, and Australian tennis champion Casey Dellacqua.

The event, which saw the attendance of over 50 stakeholders, was facilitated by Kate Jenkins, Australia's Sex Discrimination Commissioner, and convened by Sport Minister Anika Wells.

In a media release, the roundtable considered various "practical and sustainable" options to:

reduce barriers to employment for women
provide training and strategic pathways for women athletes to transition to the sport workforce
create a more engaged, diverse, safe, and inclusive sport workforce
raise productivity to provide better job security and wages

Outcomes of the roundtable will be contributed to the Employment White Paper that will follow the Jobs and Skills Summit.

The event came amid the pressing 14.1% gender pay gap faced in Australia, as well as the underrepresentation of women in the sport industry.

"Women bring a diversity of skills and experience but continue to be underrepresented in decision-making in the sport workforce in Australia," said Wells. "While recognition of women's sports has risen considerably in recent years, this hasn't translated into more women in power in the sport industry."

"Correcting this will ensure our sport sector, which is so important to our national psyche and culture, properly reflects our nation."