1. Purpose and intent of the policy
The Fair Access Policy (the policy) seeks to address known barriers experienced by women, girls and gender diverse people in accessing and using community sport and recreation. The policy aims to progressively build capacity and capabilities of Moyne Shire Council in the identification, and elimination of systemic causes of gender inequality in policy, programs, communications, and delivery of services in relation to community sport and active recreation.
Moyne Shire Council will undertake the necessary and proportionate steps towards implementation of the Fair Access Policy.
A Statement of intent has been developed and establishes the expectation that gender equality is considered and prioritised in all current and future Moyne Shire Council planning, policy, service delivery and practice as they relate to community sports infrastructure.
“Moyne Shire Council recognises that gender equality is the attainment of equal rights, responsibilities, and opportunities of women, men, trans and gender diverse people. Equality does not mean that women, men, trans and gender diverse people will become the same but that their rights, responsibilities, and opportunities will not depend on their gender.
Moyne Shire Council recognises that gender equity is the provision of fairness and justice in the distribution of benefits and responsibilities based on gender. The concept recognises that people may have different needs and power related to their gender and these differences should be identified and addressed in a manner that rectifies gender related imbalances.”
2. Introduction
Sport is a highly visible and valued feature of the Moyne Shire’s culture and identity. The sport and active recreation sector provide opportunities for enriching our communities through the promotion of respect and fair mindedness for all people, while also supporting physical and mental wellbeing. Working with partners, Moyne Shire is well positioned to design and implement place-based, integrated actions plans that progress gender equality in community sport.
The Victorian Government is committed to developing an environment for all Victorians to live in a safe and equal society, have access to equal power, resources, and opportunities, and are treated with dignity, respect, and fairness. A reform agenda has been developed to change the systems that have perpetuated gender inequality by designing an enduring structure that requires implementation and tracking of progress over time.
This reform agenda includes addressing the traditional structures and way community sport and recreation organisations operate through the implementation of nine recommendations from the 2015 Inquiry into Women and Girls in Sport and Active Recreation. This includes recommendation six:
“…encourage facility owners and managers to review access and usage policies to ensure women and girls have a fair share of access to the highest quality facilities at the best and most popular times”
and,
“facilitating a universal adoption of [policies, strategies and audit tools] that will drive change further”.
As a defined entity of the Gender Equality Act 2020 , Moyne Shire Council is required from 1 March 2021 to conduct gender impact assessments (GIA) on all new policies, programs, communications, and services, including those up for review, which directly and significantly impact the public (Gender Equality Act 2020). The access and use of community sports infrastructure is an example of policy that has a direct and significant impact on the public.
The Fair Access Principles have been developed by the Office for Women in Sport and Recreation, Sport and Recreation Victoria and VicHealth, in consultation with representatives from local government and the state sport and recreation sector. This policy and any resultant action plan are based on six principles of inclusivity, full participation, equitable access, equal representation, encouraging and supporting user groups, and prioritising user groups committed to equality.
Moyne Shire Council considers that these principles provide clear direction, while also enabling adaption to the specific environment of the Moyne Shire area.
Principles
Principle 1
Community sports infrastructure and environments are genuinely welcoming, safe, and inclusive.
Principle 2
Women and girls can fully participate in all aspects of community sport and active recreation, including as a player, coach, administrator, official, volunteer, and spectator.
Principle 3
Women and girls will have equitable access to, and use of community sport infrastructure:
- of the highest quality available and most convenient
- at the best and most popular competition and training times and locations
- to support existing and new participation opportunities, and a variety of sports.
Principle 4
Women and girls should be equitably represented in leadership and governance roles.
Principle 5
Encourage and support all user groups who access and use community sport infrastructure to understand, adopt, and implement gender equitable access and use practices.
Principle 6
Prioritise access, use, and support to all user groups who demonstrate an ongoing commitment to gender equitable access and use of allocated community sport infrastructure.
3. Scope
The policy enables effective and efficient integration of the requirements of the Gender Equality Act 2020 , the Local Government Act 2020 and the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 and other legislative frameworks.
The scope of the policy is to support Moyne Shire Council to take positive action towards achieving gender equity in the access and usage of community sports infrastructure and participation opportunities. This complies with the Gender Equality Act 2020 and aligns with the Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plans or council strategies:
Reform agenda
To support Moyne Shire Council to take positive action towards achieving gender equity in the access and use of community sports infrastructure and participation opportunities
Objectives
- To build capacity and capabilities of Moyne Shire Council in the identification and elimination of systemic causes of gender inequality in policy, programs, communications, and delivery of services in relation to community sport and recreation.
- To ensure an effective place-based response for the gender equitable use and access of community sports infrastructure.
- To promote gender equality in policies, programs, communications, and services as they relate to community sports infrastructure.
For Moyne Shire Council, the policy applies to the following community sports infrastructure:
- Community asset committees
- Council licensed recreation reserve committees
- Council appointed land manager of recreation reserves
- Council licensed aquatic facility committees of management
4. Definitions
Community sports infrastructure
Council owned or council as delegated committee of management of sport and recreation infrastructure operated and maintained primarily for the purpose of facilitating community sport activities, including sporting grounds, swimming pools, pavilions and other associated infrastructure.
Gender
How you understand who you are and how you interact with other people. Many people understand their gender as being a man or woman. Some people understand their gender as a mix of these or neither. A person’s gender and their expression of their gender can be shown in different ways, such as through behaviour or physical appearance.
Gender diverse
An umbrella term for a range of genders expressed in different ways. Gender diverse people use many terms to describe themselves. Language in this area is dynamic, particularly among young people, who are more likely to describe themselves as non-binary.
Gender equality
The equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities of women, men and trans and gender-diverse people. Equality does not mean that women, men and trans and gender diverse people will become the same but that their rights, responsibilities, and opportunities will not depend on their gender.
Gender equity
The provision of fairness and justice in the distribution of benefits and responsibilities based on gender. The concept recognises that people may have different needs and power related to their gender and these differences should be identified and addressed in a manner that rectifies gender related imbalances.
Gender impact assessment, or GIA
A requirement under the Gender Equality Act 2020 to be carried out on policies, programs and services which have a direct and significant impact on the public. The assessment must evaluate the effects that a policy, program or service may have on gender diversity.
Crown
Means the Crown in right of the State of Victoria and includes the licensor and each employee and agent of the Crown or the secretary.
Community asset committee
Means the committee of the recreation reserve and swimming pools comprising of representatives of all user groups and community representatives as appointed by council.
DEECA
Means Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action as land owner.
5. Policy details
The policy is designed to comply with the Gender Equality Act 2020 , and the wider Victorian Government gender equality strategy.
Moyne Shire Council acknowledges:
- the disadvantaged position some individuals have had in the sport and recreation sector because of their gender; and
- that achieving gender equality will require diverse approaches for women, men and gender diverse people to achieve similar outcomes for people of all genders.
Moyne Shire Council will:
- engage fairly and equitably with all staff, governance working groups, state sporting organisations, the regional sport assembly and members of the sport and recreation community, regardless of their gender, in a positive, respectful, and constructive manner;
- engage in the process of gender impact assessments to assess the implications for women, men and gender diverse people of any planned action, including policies and communications. This is a strategy for making all voices, concerns and experiences, an integral dimension of the design, implementation, monitoring of policies and programs.
Compliance and monitoring
Actions
Moyne Shire Council commits to undertake a GIA on community sports infrastructure access and use policies and processes, and to consider opportunities to strengthen gender equitable access and use of community sports facilities in alignment with the Fair Access Principles.
If the process of assessing policies and processes identifies opportunities to develop or strengthen gender equitable access and use of community sports facilities in alignment with the Fair Access Principles, Moyne Shire Council commits to developing and adopting a locally relevant gender equitable access and use policy and action plan no later than 1 October 2024.
Moyne Shire Council acknowledges that the requirement to have a gender equitable access and use policy and action plan (or equivalent) in place, and the ability to demonstrate progress against that policy and action plan (or equivalent), will form part of the eligibility criteria for Victorian Government funding programs relating to community sports infrastructure from 1 July 2024.
Moyne Shire Council has also identified specific actions to progress gender equitable access and use of community sports infrastructure in its Fair Access Action Plan.
Responsibility
Manager cultural and community development is responsible for implementing Moyne Shire Council’s Fair Access Policy. Management personnel, staff, volunteers, and stakeholders at Moyne Shire Council have a shared responsibility to support the policy, as outlined below.
- To promote a gender-aware and gender-responsive culture and community and championing the Fair Access Policy.
- To promote, encourage and facilitate the achievement of gender equality and
- improvement in the status of women and girls in sport and active recreation.
- Support the review of sport and recreation policies and process
- Develop and adopt gender equitable access and use policies
- To communicate policy updates
- To promote, encourage and facilitate the achievement of gender equality and
- improvement in the status of women and girls
- Support the undertaking of Gender Impact Assessment and submission of progress reports as per the Gender Equality Act 2020 obligations.
- Support the formal adoption process of a new or revised gender equitable policies
- Undertake Gender Impact Assessment and submission of progress reports as per the Gender Equality Act 2020 obligations
- Support the communication and education of sport and recreation infrastructure user groups and users
6. Relevant legislation / references
Gender Equality Act 2020
Local Government Act 2020
Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008
Fair Access Action Plan
7. Gender impact assessment
A gender impact assessment was completed on this policy in November 2023 (Doc ID 1277789)
8. Human rights commitment
It is considered that this policy does not impact negatively on any rights identified in the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006.
9. Policy owner
Manager Cultural and Community Development
10.Document history
Version – 001
Date endorsed – 2 June 2024
Reason for change – New policy - State Government request in relation to infrastructure