The ACT Brumbies women's team will finally have their own change room facilities with the federal government committing $200,000 to a new facility at the club's University of Canberra headquarters.
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The new building, which will be built adjacent to the Canberra Capitals training court, was announced by ACT senator Zed Seselja on Wednesday after the funding was allocated in the budget this year.
The decision to have female-specific change rooms comes as women's rugby in Canberra experiences significant growth and as the ACT government works to make have female friendly facilities at sports grounds around the capital.
The Canberra Times' 'grounds for concern' series last year revealed female athletes were being forced to get changed on the sideline before and after games as well as sharing toilets with their male counterparts.
It prompted the ACT government to introduce new regulations and retrofit sporting change rooms, as well as getting rid of urinals, to make venues more female friendly.
Brumbies Super W captain Shellie Milward said: "We're very grateful to receive this grant from the government. For us it means it will probably improve trainings and productivity for us. Hopefully it helps us build into a better season next year."
Brumbies veteran Louise Burrows added: "As a team were excited to have somewhere as our hub and our home, somewhere to be able to get together before training. Knowing we've got somewhere to get changed before training, we'll be able to get ourselves organised and be ready to go."
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The Brumbies are one of three female teams based at the University of Canberra, with WNBL champions the Capitals and W-League side Canberra United also having facilities at the Bruce campus.
Seslja, who is standing for re-election on Saturday, said: "This money is delivered and is in this year's budget. It's great to be able to deliver this.
"The women's rugby for the Brumbies will get this facility and I think it will be a great improvement. The Capitals are one of our city's great sporting teams. I think overtime we just need to catch up. The facilities have been male dominated and better for the men, we need to address that balance and this is part of it."
The Brumbies made the Super W finals this season, but fell short in their bid to topple powerhouses NSW and Queensland in the play-offs. The ACT women's rugby competition has expanded this year, with Easts and Wests making their female comebacks after 15 and 13 years respectively.
