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Kate is passionate about contributing to public debate on a wide range of important issues. Here are some of the issues she has touched on in the past.
- Should successful athletes have to pay back the AIS 10 Jun 2009
- Let's give youth voice now for a better future 12 Oct 2008
- Organ donation it's the greatest gift of all 21 Sep 2008
- Is safe sex message falling on deaf ears 31 Aug 2008
- Grassroots funding is key to Olympic glorys 10 Aug 2008
- Easy to overlook big issue of homelessness 20 Jul 2008
- Trailblazer Natasha leaves lasting legacy 29 Jun 2008
- Heavy hitters boost our World Cup hopes 01 Jun 2008
- Youth Forum Discussion Paper 17 May 2008
- We can't take sport for granted 11 May 2008
- Women truly can do anything be anything 20 Apr 2008
- Let the Games begin with all our athletes 30 Mar 2008
- Proud past but future a challenge for women 09 Mar 2008
- Young people will be heard at highest level 17 Feb 2008
- Our nation has changed dramatically in three weeks 16 Dec 2007
- Mobile Phone Towers 23 Sep 2007
- Bradken Foundry 01 Jul 2007
- Full Fees 03 Jun 2007
- Eating Disorders 17 Dec 2006
- Iraq 27 Jul 2006
- Electoral Laws 26 Jun 2006
- Dental 08 Jan 2006
- Make Poverty History 18 Sep 2005
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Media Releases
2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 200828 Jul 2008 - National women's football league set to shine
The Federal Minister for Sport, Kate Ellis, today welcomed the establishment of the Westfield W-League - a national football league for women.
PDF printable version of National women's football league set to shine (PDF 17 KB)Speaking at the launch of the Westfield Women's League, or W-League, Ms Ellis said the new competition would help raise the profile of football, putting the game at the forefront of women's sport in Australia.
"Women's sport in Australia has been stuck in a cycle of poor media exposure for some time, leading to less and less media coverage, shrinking sponsorship and fewer remuneration opportunities," Ms Ellis said.
"For a country that idolises our sporting heroes, women's sport doesn't receive the profile it deserves.
"This cycle must be broken, and the formation of the Westfield W-League is a giant leap forward, and one the Australian Government is proud to support."
The new competition to start in October will feature eight teams from around Australia - seven teams from the existing men's A-League clubs, as well as a team from Canberra.
Ms Ellis said this year the Australian Government committed an extra $32 million in funding over four years to the Football Federation of Australia (FFA).
This included $16 million to help FFA establish the eight-team W-League, as well as support for the national women's team, the Matildas, the Young Matildas, and the Women's Under 17s competition.
"We've also pushed for a higher profile of women's football, including a televised national women's league," Ms Ellis said.
"Raising the profile of women in sport is an important challenge for the Rudd Government, and one that we are determined to meet."