In 2009, I returned to Melbourne and joined Merri-bek City Council, where I led the development of a first-of-its-kind in Australia, Fair Access Policy.

The policy required sports ground hirers to reflect the diversity of their communities by providing genuine opportunities for women and girls, people from culturally diverse backgrounds, and people with disability, or risk losing access to public facilities.

The primary aim was to increase participation of women and girls in community sport, and over the following decade, female sports ground participation in Merri-bek rose from just 8% to 36%.

The policy’s success was underpinned by a suite of strategic initiatives, including:

• Developing an Active Women and Girls Strategy to understand enablers and barriers to participation.

• Working closely with Councillors and decision-makers, highlighting how gender equity in sport is a lever for the primary prevention of violence against women.

• Supporting sports clubs to become safe, welcoming, and inclusive environments.

• Engaging women and girls directly to amplify their voices and increase participation.

• Introducing a graded implementation, allowing space to resolve challenges and build momentum.

• Monitoring impact and tracking unintended consequences to adapt as needed.

• Celebrating success, both internally and across the broader community.

This approach sparked widespread change. Several other Councils replicated the model, and in 2024, the Victorian State Government adopted a statewide Fair Access Policy Roadmap, requesting all Councils across Victoria implement their six Fair Access Principles.

This work remains one of the clearest examples of how gender equity, community policy, and systems change intersect, and how local government can be a powerful site for transformation.