Sporting heroes honoured

Four women who have achieved sporting success on the international sporting stage will be inducted into Baw Baw Shire’s Sporting Walk of Fame.

Paralympian swimmer Lichelle Clark, Paralympian equestrian competitor Anne Skinner and world champion underwater hockey players Tania McLeish and Belinda Watts-Keeley will be inducted.

But the successful nominations are well short of the 13 nominees put forward by Women In Gippsland in an attempt to achieve gender equity in the sporting honours.

Currently, the walk of fame, in Civic Park Warragul, includes 17 men and three women.

After assessing all 13 nominations put forward by Women in Gippsland, council will review its current guidelines, in conjunction with a gender impact assessment.

A report to council said many of the nominations were unsuccessful because their sporting achievements were in junior competition, which is currently not included in the guidelines.

Cr Jazmin Tauru said she was in awe of “these four human beings” and their accomplishments should be celebrated.

She said the four women were being inducted in accordance with the current walk of fame guidelines and “I want to celebrate their achievements now.” 

“And then I want to celebrate the women and men that will come forward for recognition under future guidelines.

“The whole goal to reach a world which is equal is a big process. I believe this is a great start,” she said.

The four successful athletes are being recognised for outstanding achievements at the highest national and international levels for their sports.

Lichelle Clark, Botanic Ridge – an elite swimmer with a successful international career at junior and senior level, marked by silver and bronze medals at the 400m freestyle at the 2004 Athens Games.

Tania McLeish, Netherlands - a three-time world champion underwater hockey player. A key member of the Victorian women’s team, she secured multiple gold medals at national competitions in the 1990s and 2000s.

Anne Skinner, Labertouche – international equestrian competitor, competing in two Paralympics, as well as at world championships, and national and state events. She has since received coaching qualifications with Riding with the Disabled Association of Victoria (RDA) and Equestrian Australia (EA).

Belinda Watts-Keely, Warragul - two-time world champion underwater hockey player, having secured gold with the Australian women’s team in 2002 and 2006. She also represented Australia in the elite women’s division at six other world championships, securing multiple medals.

Cr Joe Gauci said he knew Women in Gippsland may not be happy with the outcome, but it was wonderful that council was celebrating the achievements of four women.

“These women have achieved success on the principles that are in place now and we should celebrate that,” he said.

Cr Peter Kostos said it was pleasing to receive 13 nominations but council had a process to follow and only four met the current criteria.

He said the guidelines review needed to take into account the limited opportunities women had in the past to achieve in sport.

Cr Annemarie McCabe commended the due diligence undertaken to assess each nomination. 

“What this report has highlighted is the failings of the guidelines in a modern society that is embracing equity and equality,” she said.

Cr Darren Wallace said the guidelines were outdated and needed to be re-assessed.

“We will come up with new guidelines and in years to come there will be men and women who don’t meet these guidelines and they will be rejected.  But for now we should celebrate the for women that met the criteria,” he said.

Cr Michael Leaney said the guidelines review was a first step in ending discriminatory practises against women in our society. 

“We have to acknowledge that women have had things stacked against them. We have to recognise as a modern society we should aim for better recognition of achievement where people are not restricted by their gender, race or sexuality,” he said.

Cr Keith Cook said the guidelines needed to recognise the barriers that made it difficult for women to compete in sports.

“We have to tease out how women had amazing ability but were restricted because of those barriers,” he said.

Cr Danny Goss said there were cultural, structural and institutional barriers that historically made it difficult for women in the sporting arena to achieve what they may have been able to achieve under different circumstances. 

“I think that needs to be recognised as part of the review of the guidelines,” he said.

Guidelines review

In acknowledging the existing imbalance and past processes favouring sportsmen, council’s review of existing guidelines will include a gender impact assessment.

The unsuccessful nominees put forward by WIG will be reassessed against the updated guidelines.

Existing guidelines include:

Significant performance at high level open competition;
National or international level in sports of significance;
Significant performance within a team rather than as a member of a high level team;
In special cases, a significant state level athlete may be included;
Performances in a limited field of endeavour will be given careful consideration;
Be of good character; and,
Person who resided in the shire for a significant period and started on the path of sporting success whilst a shire resident.