"Very sad and very disappointed" | Margot Foster AM on the axing of OWSR

Former Olympic rower Margot Foster AM joined Simone Wearne and Alice Wilson on Episode 22 of The Crumbs to discuss cuts to the Office for Women in Sport and Recreation (OWSR).

Margot Foster AM joined The Crumbs and her sentiments summed up the feelings of many when the Victorian state government axed funding for the OWSR in the 2025 state budget. "Everybody is shocked and saddened and stunned really that this could happen." It was not the only program targeted at gender equality that was affected, with the Preventing Violence Through Sports Grants Program also defunded.

Foster, who won bronze at 1984 LA Olympics and gold at 1986 Edinburgh Commonwealth Games has long been involved in sports governance. In 2015 as part of the Queen's Birthday hounours list, she was awarded a member of the Order of Australia "for significant service to sports administration and governance at the state and national level, as an elite athlete, and through support for women in sport."

"I'm very sad and very disappointed" Foster said on the recent situation. "So many women have put in so many hours, so much effort into all these initiatives... but it's just been trashed." The most visible sign of the work of the OWSR is the Change Our Game initiative. There has been much frustration after the announcement from the Victorian treasurer Jaclyn Symes. Not All Clubs Media protested the decision by calling on all sporting clubs to wear armbands on the weekend of May 30-June 1.

Margot Foster AM (left) alongside Supercars driver Bryce Fullwood (right) (Image: Flash Studio)

Womens Sport Australia has formally requested meetings with Victorian parliament representatives with regards to the decision and has encouraged others to contact their local MP. A petition calling for supporting the Office has 1,007 signatures as of 24th June and most notably has the support of Animal Justice MP Georgie Purcell.

The Victorian government's decision comes in the wake of controversy around funding a stadium at Macquarie Point in Tasmania and for the 2032 Olympics in Queensland. While not all like for like, it shows getting funding for sport-related projects right across Australia is currently facing many uphill battles.

"It's not just an actual setback, it's a psychological setback" said Foster who noted how significant women's sport is right now, largely off the back of the Matildas memorable 2023 Women's World Cup run on home soil. "We are in the midst of this women's sport era... and this abolition really is a blow to that movement."

She also noted the importance of the OWSR in other areas. "They do great work with more women's voices in sports media." With regards to quotas for boards, Foster believes "I think that's made a change. Having people with different backgrounds, opinions, experiences and knowledge, both men and women, is really important".

The Crumbs: A Women's Sport Podcast is available on podcast platforms. Follow The Crumbs on Instagram. Watch full episodes of Extra Time podcasts on the Extra Time YouTube channel.

The Crumbs - Inspired by Billie Jean’s quote, “Do not settle for the crumbs. You should have the whole cake, the icing and the cherry on top too”.