A new campaign to encourage Territory girls and women to be active, get involved in sport and increase the awareness of gender equality kicks off today.
#ShePlaysNT aims to inspire females to get active while raising the profile of women in sport, promoting gender equality and involvement at all levels in sport throughout the Territory.
The campaign is one of seven recommendations from the Women in Sport Advisory Committee, established by the Territory Labor Government to provide advice on increasing women’s participation and leadership opportunities in sport.
The #ShePlaysNT campaign is supported by NT female ambassadors who will share their stories and encourage all Territorians to raise the profile of women in sports.
Darwin-born, sports broadcaster Shannon Byrne will launch the campaign today as a leading ambassador. Shannon has a sporting background in netball, AFL and basketball and offers a unique perspective as a sports broadcaster with more than 13 years’ experience in the industry.
Territory women of all ages and disciplines will join Shannon as ambassadors, including athletes, coaches, officials and other support roles, who will champion the cause and encourage female participation in sport.
To help kick off the campaign, the Northern Territory Government is also offering Territory women and girls the chance to win one of six $100 vouchers to purchase sports clothing or equipment.
To enter, Territorians will be asked to share a “workout selfie” over social media and hashtag #ShePlaysNT, with one winner selected per month over the next six months.
All Territorians are encouraged to hashtag #ShePlaysNT and share their experiences and journey to get active.
For more information visit https://dtsc.nt.gov.au/women-in-sport
Quotes from Minister for Tourism, Sport and Culture, Lauren Moss:
“Sport and active recreation is a critical part of a healthy, happy life and we want to make sure that all Territory women and girls have the same opportunities as men and boys to get involved in their chosen activity.
“I established the Women in Sport Advisory Committee (WISAC) to provide strategic and practical advice on how we can increase participation and leadership opportunities for women in sport.
“Based on the Committees’ recommendations, we’ve created the #ShePlaysNT campaign to inspire women and girls to get involved and stay involved in sport as an athlete, a coach, an official or all of the above.
“#ShePlaysNT goes beyond increasing participation – we want to tackle gender equality and raise the profile of women in sport in the NT by championing females of all ages and levels of involvement in sport.
“Get involved in the conversation and support women in sport by hashtagging #ShePlaysNT on social media.”
Quote from Louise Morrison, Former Chair, Women in Sport Advisory Committee:
“It’s really exciting to see the recommendations from the Women in Sport Committee come to life. The #ShePlaysNT campaign will instil confidence in women and girls, while promoting participation in sport at all levels across the Territory.
“The WISAC members worked tirelessly to develop recommendations that addressed key challenges and provided equal opportunities for women in sport. We encourage all women and girls to own the hashtag campaign and help to profile women and girls in sport.”
Quotes from Shannon Byrne, #ShePlaysNT Ambassador:
“ShePlaysNT is a fantastic initiative that I'm very proud to be supporting. I had so many great opportunities, experiences, and friendships growing up playing sport in the NT. I now want to promote and help lift the profile of NT women in sport and encourage all Territorian girls and women to get active and share their sporting goals and experiences with the community.
“I want more women and girls to have the opportunity to play sport at any level in a supportive, safe, and inclusive environment. We should have the same opportunities and exposure as the men, and I hope to help promote greater equality in all aspects of sport for our women and girls.”
Media Contact: Lisa Sennett 0436 929 858