Acknowledgement of Country  
Acknowledgements 
Members 

We have 48 Member Associations represented today – 10 more than last year’s conference. 

Thank you all for being here, taking up time on your weekend away from family, friends, other commitments, to spend time all together to learn, share, network all in service of our great game of netball. 

Since our last Leaders Conference, we have also had eleven new Category Five, Community Members join Netball Queensland – our Community Members are non-profit entities which have an interest in Netball which is not a Member Association but may be a club, region or league. This takes NQ’s Category 5 membership to 17 and our Category One Membership is at 82 Member Associations. 

NQ Directors 
Welcome to our Netball Queensland Board members joining us today – can I ask you to please stand as we recognise you so people can put faces to names.  Simone Waugh, David Carter, Cara Wennerbom, Kylie Blucher, Di Croonen and our Chair Leanne Coddington. 

I’d like to take this opportunity to especially thank Leanne for her commitment to the Chair role.  In this volunteer position Leanne relentlessly represents the interest of NQ and netball in Queensland with our major stakeholders. In 2023, Leanne led the NQ Board in their first meeting to be held outside of Brisbane when the Board met in Townsville, and this year, the NQ Board held its regional meeting in Toowoomba.   
The NQ Board and management looks forward again to next year’s regional board meeting – location to be determined. 

NA Chair 
A very warm welcome to Liz Ellis, Chair of Netball Australia who will be providing this morning’s Key Note Address and then joining our panel discussion on the future of Women’s Profession Sport. Thrilled you could join us here today Liz. 

Panel Members  
They will all be properly introduced later in the program, but I also want to take this opportunity to welcome and thank our other guest panel members: 
- Kate Jones – NRL Commissioner 
- Richard McInnes – EGM Australian Sports Commission  
- Tim Klar, CEO QSport 
- Darren Gillespie – President, QLD SUNS  
- Tracey Jeans Fraser – High Performance Director QLD SUNS  
- Michael Connelly – CPR Group and again, following his AOC 
- Neville Hoehne – Chair of NQ’s First Nations Advisory Group 

Life Members 
A very warm welcome to our Netball Queensland Life Members – Susan Bamford, Madonna McKenna and Janelle Derrington who was also inducted into the Queensland Netball Hall of Fame earlier this year. 
This is the perfect opportunity to remind you that, having been reinstated into the NQ Constitution, nominations for NQ Life Membership are now open.  All the details are on our website.  Nominations close on Friday 29 November. 
NQ’s History & Traditions Advisory Group will consider the nominations in January and make a recommendation to the NQ Board, who will then make a recommendation to the membership to vote on at the Annual General Meeting next year. It is extremely important we recognise the incredible contributions made in our sport and I am proud we have reinstated this special honour. 

Remembering  
In acknowledging our Life Members, I want us to take a moment this morning to reflect on the passing this year of Netball Queensland Life Members – Maureen Atkins. What incredible contribution and legacy she left.  An institution at Downey Park Netball Association for decades, Maureen’s netball involvement began when her four daughters played the sport but continued on well after their own playing days were over. 

Activations  
I hope you have all collected your conference delegate tote bag which is generously packed with goodies, information leaflets and special offers from our partners for all associations. I want to make special mention of Court Craft, an Official NQ Supplier, and welcome John who is here today and who many of you know.  John and his team work tirelessly with clubs and associations’ to bring their court builds, renovations and refreshes to life and John is of course very happy to have conversations with you throughout the day about future projects. Many of our wonderful Netball Queensland partners and suppliers are also exhibiting today.   
During the breaks you will have the opportunity to chat with the team from HART Sport, Containers for Change, CPR Group, Sport for All, the Department of Tourism & Sport, and Train Like a Firebird – our exclusive program designed for aspiring netball enthusiasts who are looking to elevate their game to new heights. 
We also have members of NQ’s Youth Advisory Committee here today and they will also be available during the conference for you to talk to.  This is the third year that Netball Queensland has covenant our Youth Advisory Group. We meet with this engaged and insightful group each month to hear from them on a range of topics and to seek their sentiment and input into NQ initiatives.  I strongly encourage you all to connect with them and learn how valuable a Youth Advisory Group could be to your association. 

There is a QR code on your table that enables you to book 15min time slots with exhibitors throughout the day so you can have dedicated time with them to talk about what is of interest to your association.  

What today is about 
As you may’ve heard me say many times since I commenced in this role, NQ exists to serve our Members – we are a member-led organisation. We work in service of you. 

NQ acknowledges the volume of requirements and demands on local sport administrators. Leaders Conference is all about helping you continue to navigate this landscape - we have developed an agenda based on topics that we have heard are important to you, and areas where we know we can provide you with support, guidance and resources. 

Successes 
Whilst acknowledging the pain points and that there is always more support needed, our Member Associations have been having incredible success. The growth in netball participation this year has improved again – we are up 6.5%.  Congratulations to all of you in the room who have contributed to this fantastic outcome. 
Our Regional Managers – Paula, Deb and Eloise – will unpack more about the success of the growth participation strategy in their session later this morning. 

We remain very proud that we removed the NQ membership fee for non-playing members in 2023 as we have had continued growth in this area. This non-playing membership underlines the importance of people who contribute to facilitating netball in Queensland.  

Social Impact Report 
Earlier this year, our netball community contributed to the development of our Social and Community Impact of Netball in Queensland study. The report found the social, health and economic impacts of netball on individuals and communities to be significant. Our clubs and associations cultivate an environment that nurtures, inspires and empowers women of all ages to be leaders in their communities, and build community connection, cohesion and unity across generations. 
The report found that we volunteer more than the general population, we have stronger social networks that we can rely on in times of need, and we have greater levels of trust in our fellow community members and society as a whole, reflecting an unwavering spirit of community. 
- 88% of people participating in the social impact research project reported that their lives were enriched through netball 
- 90% of participants said that netball teaches them how to work in a team environment 
- 81% said that netball makes them a more confident person   

Our game’s annual total economic impact to Queensland is over $78 million and an annual health contribution of $5.4 million, as well as a lifetime health contribution of $64.1 million. The findings of this study will support our advocacy for continued investment in netball that drive greater social, health and economic benefits communities across Queensland. 
Again, thank you for your contribution to this important study. A copy of the key statistics and case studies within the report will be distributed to Presidents and will also be available on the NQ website. 

Agenda 
Our agenda today is covering everything from Reconciliation Action Plans to challenges in organized sport from governance to building confidence in implementing programs and competition for men and boys from high performance to Firebirds in the community. We have some very experienced people joining us for what will be super interesting panel discussions.  

Also keep a close eye on the series of videos that will be played throughout the day on marketing tips and tricks including tips to improve content quality, how to find and use trending sounds and music on Reels and TikTok and why is it important, and content ideas to build platform engagement. They will also be uploaded to the Member Toolbox so you can go back and view anytime. 

Webinar Series 
Given we are only together for one day, there is not enough time to cover all the topics we know are important to you in your role in growing netball in Queensland; So, we have created a program of webinars, starting on Thursday 31 October and moving through to June next year. These webinars are free to attend for representatives of organisations in Netball Queensland’s Community. The full webinar program is outlined in a brochure on your table. 

Topics that will be covered include: 
- NQ’s Infrastructure Strategy  
- Obtaining grants 
- Governance Checklist for the 2025 Season 
- Marketing 
- Complaint handling 
- Workforce strategy  
- Netball Australia's National Insurance Program 
- The Member Toolbox and 
- Netball Connect 

These webinars will also be recorded and made available for Netball Queensland’s Community to access. 

Netball Queensland Strategic Plan 
2025 is the last year of the current Netball Queensland Strategic Plan. Strategy is all about choices, the choices you make under competition and uncertainty to achieve your vision. Netball Queensland’s Strategic Plan outlines the choices we are making as we strive toward our vision of being the most played and supported sport in Queensland. Our Strategic Plan outlines where we are going to spend our main efforts.  

In year one of our strategic plan – Netball Queensland focused on consolidating and reinforcing our foundations and selected a few key initiatives to deliver really well. This year we started implementing some bigger moves to grow our sport. Next year we will get bolder and capitalise on the work we have put in during the previous years. Next year we will also be developing our strategic plan for 2026 and beyond. But the thinking and planning starts now. 

The annual Member Consultation Survey, where we seek feedback on a whole range of topics from our Member Associations, has recently closed to submissions. To those Member Associations that completed the Survey – a sincere thank you. We take the feedback provided very seriously, we are currently working through the responses and feedback contained in each of the submissions and it will be these responses and feedback that will be used to inform our strategic priorities moving forward. 

Ask us anything! 
Glenn Dennis, GM Netball and I also look forward to our session this afternoon called “Four Corners”. Throughout the day, and by scanning the relevant QR Code on the table, you can “ask us anything”. We will gather up all the questions and at 3pm we will answer some of them, and also provide a written response on all of them post-conference. 

Election commitments 
2024 State Election campaigns are in full swing with voting early voting now open and polling day next Saturday 26 October. I am thrilled to announce that over $70 million in election commitments have been made to netball to date. 
Congratulations to our Members who have secured funding commitments: Bundaberg Netball, Burdekin Netball, Capricorn Coast Netball, Pine Rivers Netball, Redlands Netball, Rockhampton Netball and Mackay Netball Association. 

And the campaigning isn’t over… 
Earlier this year we launched ‘The Future of Netball in Queensland – NQ Priorities Document at our 2024 Parliamentary Friends of Netball Season Launch which highlighted your state-wide facility priorities. In August, we released our refreshed NQ Infrastructure Strategy, which was shared with State MPs and again reinforced your critical facility priorities. You will or should have received your hard copy of the NQ Infrastructure Strategy today. 

Thank you for your incredible contributions and support in developing these important documents ahead of the State Election this year. Your advocacy in your local communities, combined with the overarching plan in the Infrastructure Strategy is what gives governments – and potential government – the confidence to invest in our sport. And that is exactly what we are seeing in this state election – and there is a Federal election just around the corner. And I must mention and thank NQ’s Head of Government Relations & Infrastructure, Teale Blessington, for leading this work – she is personally handing out hard copies of the Infrastructure Strategy so keep an eye out for her. 

Exciting announcement 
We like to lead the way here Queensland and do the firsts… first to intro Super Shot in our Premier Netball League, the first to establish a competition at our Firebirds games to give away $5,000. Just before we break for lunch today you are going to learn of another first.nIt is new, exciting and different.  We are creating fun and healthy experience and trying to break the mold a bit and do something genuinely exciting for our community netball teams. Make sure you don’t miss hearing from Claire, Macy & Eloise before lunch for more details and how you can get involved, there is a clue on your tables. 

Conclusion  
Every month I send an All Staff email to the NQ team and I throw in a quote. One I wanted to share with you today…. 

'If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together. '

It is great to be together today. The whole Netball Queensland team is really looking forward to today and getting around to speak with you all. 

One of the biggest pieces of positive feedback we got from Leaders Conference held back in 2022 was the involvement of NQ Staff as MCs throughout the day – we continue this tradition today and I thank all the staff – MCs and presenters – in advance for all the effort that has been put into this Conference. 

See you throughout the day and of course, look forward to the celebration of the NQ Awards tonight. 

Acknowledgement of Country  

Acknowledgements 
Members 
- We have 38 Member Associations represented at Conference this weekend – thank you all for being here, taking up time on your weekend away from family, friends, other commitments, to spend time all together to learn, share, network all in service of our great game of netball 
- Since our last Leaders Conference we have also had two new Members join us – a special welcome to St George Netball Association and Pimpama United Netball Association  
- This takes our total membership of NQ to 82 Member Associations under the Netball Queensland umbrella 
- We also welcome today representatives from many of our HART Sapphire Series franchises. 

Life Members 
- A very warm welcome to our Netball Queensland Life Members – Susan Bamford and Madonna McKenna 
- This is the perfect opportunity to remind you all that last year Members adopted a revised NQ Constitution which included the reinstatement of Life Membership. 
- Last month we opened the nominations process to appoint our next Life Member. 
- All the details are on our website.  Nominations close in December. 
- Our recently formed History & Traditions Advisory Group will consider the nominations in January and make a recommendation to the NQ Board, who will then make a recommendation to the membership to vote on at the Annual General Meeting next year. 
- It is extremely important we recognise the incredible contributions made in our sport – like Susan and Madonna – and am proud we have reinstated this special honour. 

Remembering  
- In acknowledging our Life Members, I want us to take a moment this morning to reflect on the passing this year of two Netball Queensland Life Members - Helen Stevens and June Bothwell. 
- What incredible contributions they made and legacies they left.  They are missed, but their imprint on our sport will be forever. 
- I also want to acknowledge the passing of long serving bench official Nerida Bartlett and recognise the contribution she made to netball in Queensland. 

NQ Directors 
- Welcome to NQ Directors Simone Waugh, Di Croonen, Marg Cedar and Chair, Leanne Coddington 
- I’d like to take this opportunity to especially thank Leanne for her commitment to the Chair role since being appointed by the Board following the AGM last year. 
- Leanne has been so diligent in getting to know Netball Queensland, the business, the staff and you – our Members. 
- Leanne also led the NQ Board in their first meeting to be held outside of Brisbane when the Board met in Townsville in May – an awesome opportunity for the whole Board and NQ Management and staff to engage with the local netball community. 
- The NQ Board looks forward to next year’s regional board meeting – location to be determined. 

Partners 
- Welcome to our official partners and suppliers who are supporting our Conference, and particularly our presenting Partner, Court Craft. 
- I hope you have collected your goodie bag which is generously packed with some great giveaways and chances to win great prizes over the course of the weekend from some of our partners. 
- Many of our wonderful Netball Queensland partners and suppliers are also exhibiting today.  
- During the breaks you will have the opportunity to chat with the team from HART Sport, Health & Wellbeing Qld, Valour, Hard Surface Cleaners and Mizuno to learn about special association offers, competitions, merchandise ordering and more great information.  
- Some of you have also booked in for personalized sessions with Inside Edge – and I acknowledge Jake McMinn from Inside Edge who has actually been in Brisbane since Thursday, meeting with government stakeholders and some of you about your infrastructure priorities.   
- Over the course of the conference, it is a great opportunity to have a chat with Jake and Teale, NQ’s Head of Government Relations & Infrastructure on your facility priorities as we refresh the NQ Infrastructure Strategy and release it in time for both local and state government elections in 2024.  
- A reminder that if you haven’t yet, please see Jake or Teale to see if there are appointment times left - if not, there will be other opportunities to meet or contribute to this process. I’d also really encourage you all to participate in the infrastructure survey that was included in the Member Newsletter last night. 
- Jake and Teale will also be presenting tomorrow. 

Other 
- I’d also like to welcome: 
- Ben Sorenson, Chair of NQ’s Technology & Digital Board Subcommittee - we will hear from Ben later in the day about the most important topic of cyber security 
- Dan Fisher, Chair of the NQ Boys & Men Advisory Group, and Steven Curr, President of the Qld Suns, who both have been working closely with us on progressing the strategies on how we support Members on engagement with men and boys and increasing their participation in our sport 
- All the members of NQ’s Youth Advisory Group as well as their dedicated convenor, Gen Hooper – the contribution this group makes to the work of Netball Queensland is invaluable.  You don’t want to miss the session tomorrow on how you can establish a Youth Advisory Group at your Association.  We also look forward to celebrating the contribution of the YAG at the NQ Awards tonight. 
- Merrin and Debbie, Head Coach and Assistant Coach from the Qld GEMs Team – congratulations on the recent campaign and we look forward to celebrating the Team’s achievements at the Awards night tonight as well 
- Andrew Sly, Deputy Director General and Sports and Recreation, Department of Tourism Innovation and Sport, who will attend and present to us tomorrow on the Government’s Accelerate sports agenda. 
- And finally, Glenn Turnor, Executive General Manager Strategic Projects, Government & Community, Netball Australia – thanks for being here to see how the best in the business do it! 

What this weekend is about 
- As you have heard me say since I commenced in this role, NQ exists to serve our Members – we are a member-led organisation. 
- We work in service of you. 
- NQ acknowledges the volume of requirements and demands on local sport administrators. 
- Leaders Conference is all about helping you continue to navigate this landscape - we have developed an agenda based on topics that we have heard are important to you, and areas where we know we can provide you with support, guidance and resources. 
- We know what matters to you because we have really upped the engagement with our Members over the past 12 months – lead by our three Regional Managers – Eloise, Paula and Deb, and supported by our Community Development Officers right across Queensland – they have all be in regular F2F visits with you to understand your pain points, your successes and what further support you need. 
 
Successes 
- Whilst acknowledging the pain points and that there is always more support needed, our Member Associations have been having incredible success. 
- The growth in netball participation this year has improved again.  I’ll let Glenn Dennis, NQ’s GM Netball, share the numbers with you in his session later today. 
- The growth of Netball Queensland’s non-playing members in 2023, in large part, was due to the removal of the NQ membership fee for non-playing members – a move we were really pleased to have been able to implement this time last year. 
- This non-playing membership underlines the importance of people who contribute to facilitating netball in Queensland.  

Agenda 
- Our agenda is covering everything from  
- Participation growth strategies to cyber security 
- From sports governance to pathways 
- From diversity and inclusion to child safeguarding and respectful behaviours  
- From competition expansion to government support 
- From facilities and infrastructure to wellbeing 

Financial sustainability 
- Financial Sustainability is important to every single one of us and I do want to spend a bit of time focusing on this. 
- Now, he is coming right up next and I don’t want to steal his thunder, but Mike Anderson is also going to share some good news about the health of Netball Queensland’s Finances.   
- And, for the first time, he is going to share with you our approach to Pillar Reporting. 
- Whilst in previous presentations Mike has mentioned that our Pillar analysis is being worked on, this will be the first time you will see the numbers presented this way.   
- We are in a strong financial position, with solid revenue growth across the business with some opportunities and challenges – and the biggest challenge is turning the tide on the financial sustainability of our participation in Suncorp Super Netball. 
- At the Firebirds Gala, and with her permission, I shared some of the words Legacy Life Member Susan Bamford, delivered at the funeral service of June Bothwell, about the Queensland Firebirds.   
- With Susan’s permission again, I wanted to share those words here today: 
     - June was innovative when it came to Netball, she firmly believed if you are not moving forward then you are going backwards. 
     - When Netball Australia proposed the competition which is now Suncorp Super Netball, we weren’t sure Netball Queensland could afford it, but June knew Queensland couldn’t afford not to be part of it – the players needed this opportunity. 
     - So, we established the team – and we called them The Queensland Firebirds. 
- The Firebirds are an iconic Queensland sporting team – they are our iconic Queensland Sporting Team. 
- NQ owning the license to the Firebirds is important. 
- Our commitment to our Members is that we will not lose sight of the fact that we must improve the fiscal imbalance of our revenues and expenditures when it comes to community and high performance. 
- SSN sustainability and Firebirds profitability is a key priority for the NQ Board and Management. 

Connecting Firebirds to grass roots 
- Connecting the Firebirds to our grass roots netball community is key to this sustainability. 
- NQ has been working with all of our Firebirds Partners to visit associations and clubs throughout Queensland to build and foster these connections – and get netball outcomes – grow the interest and participation in netball. 
- This year we have: 
     - Held Aurizon Regional Tours to Gladstone and Townsville 
     - Held Suncorp Regional Tours in Goondiwindi, Warwick, Cairns, Mareeba and Innisfail 
     - These tours included school visits, association volunteers meet and greet with FB players and community clinics  
     - Holiday camps and clinics in Cairns, Mareeba, Innisfail, Warwick and Goondiwindi, Logan, Coomera, Tallebudgera, Warwick, Stanthorpe, Lockyer Valley, Highfields and Townsville! 
     - Suncorp Spirit Cup in Toowoomba  
- Another initiative that you will hear more about this afternoon is the re-branding and expansion of our Emerging Athlete Program to the Queensland Firebirds Futures Academy. 
- We will continue to the relentless focus on connecting the grass roots right through the pathway to the Firebirds.  

Netball Queensland Strategic Plan 
- At Leaders Conference-Lite, this time last year, we launched the refreshed Netball Queensland Strategic Plan 2023-2025. 
- Strategy is all about choices, the choices you make under competition and uncertainty in order to achieve your vision.  
- Netball Queensland’s Strategic Plan outlines the choices we are going to make over the coming three years as we strive toward our vision of being the most played and supported sport in Queensland.  
- Our Strategic Plan outlines where we are going to spend our main efforts.  
- In year one of our strategic plan – this year, Netball Queensland has focused on consolidating and reinforcing our foundations and will select a few key initiatives to deliver really well.  
- Next year, we will start to implement some bigger moves to grow our sport.  
- In year three, 2025, we will get bolder and capitalise on the work we have put in during the previous years.  
- We are almost through the first year of this plan, and at each NQ Board meeting we report against our progress - we have made fantastic progress against all the commitments we made. 
- We have also recently undertaken a mid-year review of the plan which involved:  
     - Reviewing progress against the Foundation Moves 2023 to determine whether any Foundation Moves needed to carry over into 2024; 
     - We looked ahead to confirm whether the Key Initiatives outlined in Big Moves for 2024 and Bold Moves for 2025 are still applicable and/or need to be brought forward or pushed back; and 
     - We provided recommendations for change to the NQ Board. 
- In the Member Monthly News coming out in November, I will provide the link to the updated Strategic Plan. 

 Conclusion  
- Really looking forward to this whole weekend, and especially meeting and speaking with you all. 
- In conclusion – one of the biggest pieces of positive feedback we got from last year was the involvement of NQ Staff as MCs throughout the day – so we will be continuing this tradition and I thank all the staff – MCs and presenters – in advance for all the effort that has been put into this Conference. 
- See you throughout the day and of course, look forward to the celebration of the NQ Awards tonight.

March


Registrations firing across Queensland 
Thrilled to report that netball registrations across Queensland are looking fantastic.  With 75% of Member Associations with their registrations open we are seeing many associations growing the player base on 2024. We know that this time of year can be chaotic for families, so we encourage member associations to leave registrations open for as long as possible to allow everyone the opportunity to participate.  

Funding program opportunities  
A reminder you can find up to date information on funding programs to attract support for your club and association on the NQ Funding and Grants webpage.  New opportunities recently published include the Stronger Communities Program, Gambling Community Benefit Fund, and Sport and Recreation Disaster Recovery Program.  

Please reach out to your Regional Manager should you need any support with applications.  

NQ Annual General Meeting 2025 
Members have been advised that NQ’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held at 6pm on Wednesday 30 April, at Nissan Arena and online.  Voting Members have received a call for both Elected Director Nominations and will soon also receive information regarding submitting Notices of Motion.  A reminder of timelines is as follows: 

Wed 26 Feb 2025 - Call for Director Nominations at AGM  
Wed 12 Mar 2025 - Call for Notices of Motions at AGM from Voting Members  
Mon 24 Mar 2025 - Director Nominations due for AGM  
Mon 31 Mar 2025 - Elected Director voting method and instructions to be issued to Members + Notices of Motions for AGM due  
Mon 7 Apr 2025 - Notice of AGM & Financial/Annual Report sent to Members  
Wed 30 Apr 2025 - AGM + NQ Board to meet after AGM to elect Chair and Deputy Chair  
If you are attending in person or via videoconference please RSVP to secretariat@netballq.org.au by 5pm Monday Wednesday 23 April 2025. 

Birdies are back! 
The SSN25 season is just around the corner with the Firebirds first game away against the GWS Giants on Sunday 6 April and the first home game against the West Coast Fever on Saturday 12 April Nissan Arena.  The Firebirds season draw has been released and memberships and home game tickets are on sale!  You can get all your Firebirds information here. 

February 2025
Happy New Year!  Netball communities right across Queensland are well and truly into preparing for what will be another big netball season ahead.  The staff at Netball Queensland are already full swing into implementing the plans and projects for 2025 to help support and inspire our Member Associations and Clubs. 

Registrations are OPEN! 
Registrations for the 2025 season were opened on 1 November 2024 with Member Associations gradually opening registrations from that point onwards. The participation team has worked closely with Member Associations prior to the commencement of school when registrations will peak and look forward to continuing to support you to keep registration open for a long as possible so we can welcome returning and new participants to the sport. In keeping with trends in consumer expectations, we also encourage associations to consider opening their second seasons (eg, twilight or social) as soon as possible following the closure of the first season so that there is always an opportunity for new members to join.  

Tribunal Members for 2025 
We understand that a significant part of administering community sport is handling integrity matters, complaints and managing sideline behavior.  In 2024 we supported Member Associations and Clubs with a range of webinars in this space and have more planned as part of NQ’s 2025 Webinar Series, including an ‘Integrity Overview and Complaint Handling’ webinar delivered on three different dates: 

Monday 10th February, 6.30pm to 7.30pm 
Wednesday 12th February, 12pm to 1pm 
Saturday 15th February, 2.30pm to 3.30pm      
Register for Sessions in Netball Queensland's 2025 Webinar Series 

Observations of the netball integrity landscape indicate that greater resources and expertise are needed to support Clubs and Associations in resolving integrity matters or complaints.  We understand volunteers at Club and Association level would see value in having access to independent decision makers that could help to adjudicate the more serious or challenging complaints they receive. 

To this end, NQ is expanding and making more accessible the members of the NQ Conduct Tribunal Panel to address this issue and will help to establish a proactive approach to integrity issues in the netball community.    

From October to December 2024, NQ advertised for new members of the NQ Conduct Tribunal Panel and received a high calibre of applications.   

If you have an integrity matter that you would like to discuss further or request assistance with, please contact NQ’s Head of Governance, Integrity & Policy Michael Wright at integrity@netballq.org.au.   



As always, love to hear from you if you have any feedback or want to share any good news stories – I know they are out there, and we would love to help you promote them. 

All of us at Netball Queensland and the Queensland Firebirds are excited about the year ahead and what we will achieve and the impact we will make together. 

December 2024
Another year is on the cusp of completion, but we all know the season is won in the off-season and many of you will still be busy preparing for next year’s community netball competitions with registrations for the 2025 season already open for many. 

2025 competition calendar 
2025 is shaping up to be the biggest yet.  Netball Queensland (NQ) will be very proud to stage again the HART Premier Netball League, 16U and 18U State Titles, Senior and Junior State Age, Country Carnival, Vicki Wilson Championship & Boys Open, Primary Schools Cup and Primary Schools Gala. 

Netball Queensland structures its Competitions to ensure that each has the appropriate context and purpose, enabling the Competition Framework to facilitate the following objectives: 

To provide affordable and accessible competition structures that enable players, coaches and officials of all levels to pursue their dreams 
To provide access for all to an appropriate standard of netball, ensuring participants can reach a level where they are challenged, but don’t always dominate or are consistently out of their depth; 
To ensure an appropriate volume of netball to ensure participants can meet their training and playing requirements and maintain a lifelong passion for the game. 
To reduce the impact of cost as an inhibitor to participation and that cost does not prevent talented player, coaches and umpires from further selection. 
Ensure all competition structures have a clear purpose and fit into the broader context of NQ Competitions to aid with player, coach and umpire retention and progression as appropriate 
For more information, including dates and locations, for the 2025 competitions please visit this link. 

2025 Registrations Open 
2025 membership products are now available for use in Netball Connect, congratulations to the many clubs and associations who are already taking registrations for next year. Opening registrations as early as you can maximises growth potential and gives members more flexibility as to when they make their purchases. For support in setting up registrations for next season, please contact your regional manager in the first instance. 

BMA Partnership  
Recently NQ was thrilled to announce BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) as the Foundation partner of the Queensland Firebirds Futures Academy. 

The Academy provides a clear pathway for young Queensland athletes to progress through the ranks and potentially wear the iconic Firebirds dress with QFFA young defender Ash Barnett securing a Suncorp Super Netball contract with the Firebirds for 2025.  Firebirds training partners Abigail Latu-Meafou, Lily Gribble, Kirra Tappenden, Elsa Sif-Sandholt and Maddi Ridley are also part of the academy’s current intake. 

The QFFA supports athletes who are Nationally Categorised or selected in Queensland’s 17/U and 19/U squads for the National Netball Championships, as well as the Firebirds Futures team in Super Netball Reserves. 

Established in south-east Queensland and now with regional branches in Cairns, Townsville, Mackay, and Rockhampton, the QFFA allows talented players to develop within their hometowns, a goal that can now extend beyond netball with the support of BMA.  The partnership will allow regional athletes to stay closer to home while they continue to develop their talents in their local communities.   

The partnership will also include a minimum of two community netball clinics in strategic regional locations each year as well as coach and umpire workshops promoted and facilitated by Netball Queensland. 

For more information on the QFFA click here. 



With thanks 
My sincerest thanks to all of you in the netball Queensland community for another incredible year of netball.  The passion, dedication, and commitment to growing our sport throughout the state is second to none. 

NQ exists to serve our Members and the netball community at large, and the NQ Board, management and staff all look forward to supporting you in 2025 to achieve the vision of netball being the most played and supported sport in Queensland. 

Please accept our warmest wishes for a safe and relaxing holiday season and new year.  

Leaders Conference & NQ Awards 2024 
Another fantastic gathering of Netball Queensland (NQ) Members and staff right across the netball in Queensland community at the 2024 Leaders Conference.  A day of learning, sharing information and networking focused on building our capacity to continue to grow netball and support you - our members and volunteers - right throughout the state.  There were ten more Member Associations represented than last year and it was great to meet with many of you for the first time. 

All the presentations from the day are available on the NQ Member Toolbox under the ‘Leaders Conference Presentations - 2024’ section.   

At the bottom of this message I have also provided a copy of my Opening Remarks at the conference where I shared some important messages about being a member-led organisation, election commitments for netball projects, season successes, connecting the Firebirds to the grassroots and updates to the NQ Strategic Plan. 

On the evening of Conference, we came together to celebrate the season that was at the NQ Awards.  It was a great night giving recognition to the achievements right across our pathway - a big night with lots to celebrate.  Warmest congratulations to all the finalists and winners – you can read about them all here. 

Ask us anything! 

At Leaders Conference we provide delegates with a platform to “ask us anything!”  Throughout the day people were able to scan a QR Code that took them to a form where they could write any questions for NQ management to answer.  The questions and answers have been posted on the Member Association President Facebook page. You can read all the questions and answers here. 



Sunshine Challenge Netball Invitational 
At Leaders Conference we launched a new competition for 2025 – the Sunshine Challenge Netball Invitational. 

It will feature the nation’s top state league, men's and community teams in a quest to find out just who is the best of the best.  An estimated 48 teams are expected to take part in the three-day event, which is set to become an annual feature on the Australian netball calendar.  

The Premier Women’s division will feature the best state league teams from across Australia competing against each other in a shootout to determine just who is the top netball club in the country.  Queensland HART Sapphire Series grand finalists Gold Coast Titans and TAE Aerospace Ipswich Jets are among those eagerly awaiting the new competition.  

Visit the SCNI website here for full details on this exciting new addition to the Australian netball calendar, including the opportunity to register interest in participating.  For further information or enquiries about the SCNI, please contact scni@netballq.org.au.    



NQ Life Member Applications Open  
A reminder that NQ is calling for nominations from the netball community to uncover the organisation’s next Honorary Life Member.  After reinstating Honorary Life Membership via endorsed changes to NQ’s Constitution, Emerald Netball Association president Nanette Hall was elected as the first Life Member since 2015 at the 2024 AGM in April.  NQ is now seeking nominations for anyone who has rendered longstanding service to netball or an NQ member association, with applications open until Friday 29 November 2024.   

NQ’s History and Traditions Advisory Group will then consider the nominations before making their recommendation to the NQ Board in early January 2025. At the NQ Board’s first meeting of 2025, the nominations will then be assessed before one of the nominees is submitted for election as an Honorary Life Member. The nominee’s election as an Honorary Life Member will then be determined by members at the 2025 NQ AGM. 

To make an application click here. 



New Course to tackle racism in community sport 
The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) has partnered with Reflect Forward to launch a free online course to help community coaches, umpires, participants and volunteers deal with incidents of racism in the moment they occur. 

This foundational course guides participants through scenarios and techniques in how to play the role of a first responder and intervening in the first 60 seconds that an incident occurs.  It also provides tips for clubs about how to create a safe environment for participants and to continue to support victims of racism on an ongoing basis. 

The Dealing with the moment: Anti-racism in community sport course is available on the ASC’s Australian Sport Learning Centre.  It is also housed in the Netball Learning platform, along with coaching and officials accreditation. 

Netball Queensland is passionate about enriching lives through netball. We celebrate diversity and commit to building safe, supportive, inclusive and fun environments for people of all genders, sexualities, ability levels, cultures, ethnicities, religions, ages and life stages. We firmly believe there is a place in our sport for everyone, exactly as you are, on or off the court.  Read Netball Queensland’s full Position on Diversity and Inclusion here. 

Member Consultation Survey 2024 Open 

The 2024 Member Consultation Survey is open and we are looking forward to getting your feedback across a range of areas.  This is important consultation, and your answers will help NQ better understand your needs and wants and continue to improve our member services and offerings in 2025.  If you haven’t had a chance to complete the survey, I really encourage you to do so as your feedback is important.  The survey closes on 16 October and you can access it here. 



Life Member Applications Open  

Netball Queensland (NQ) is calling for nominations from the netball community to uncover the organisation’s next Honorary Life Member.  After reinstating Honorary Life Membership via endorsed changes to NQ’s Constitution, Emerald Netball Association president Nanette Hall was elected as the first Life Member since 2015 at the 2024 AGM in April.  NQ is now seeking nominations for anyone who has rendered longstanding service to netball or an NQ member association, with applications open until Friday 29 November 2024.  NQ’s History and Traditions Advisory Group will then consider the nominations before making their recommendation to the NQ Board in early January 2025. At the NQ Board’s first meeting of 2025, the nominations will then be assessed before one of the nominees is submitted for election as an Honorary Life Member. The nominee’s election as an Honorary Life Member will then be determined by members at the 2025 NQ AGM. 

To make an application click here. 



Leaders Conference & Awards Night 

The Leaders Conference program has been released and is packed with some fantastic sessions.  You can check it out here.  A reminder that every Member Association receives one complimentary ticket to the Leaders Conference and information has been sent to members with the redemption details.  Each additional ticket is $125 – a significant reduction on last year’s ticket price – and can be purchased at this link.   

On the evening of the Conference, we celebrate the season that was at the Awards Night, featuring the HART Sapphire Series MVP Award, the Katie Walker Medal.  This year it will be hosted at the beautiful Brisbane City Hall.  Tickets for the Awards night can be purchased at this link.   

We hope as many of you as possible can join us at both the Conference and Awards. 

September 2024

Marie Little Shield 

Nissan Arena will host the Marie Little Shield from Friday 6 September to Sunday 8 September. The Marie Little Shield is the national netball tournament for Netballers with an Intellectual Disability. Introduced in 2013, the Marie Little Shield competition was named after Marie Little OAM, a netballer who dedicated her life to those with an intellectual disability. Since 2013, the Marie Little Shield has provided the chance for female athletes with an intellectual disability to compete at the national level each year in three days of competition. In an event first, the 2024 Marie Little Shield will feature teams from every state and territory, with the inclusion of an inaugural Tasmanian team in 2024. The 2024 fixture can be viewed here. 

NQ Infrastructure Strategy  

In line with our Strategic Plan 2023-25, I’m pleased to announce the release of our refreshed Netball Queensland Infrastructure Strategy (NQIS). 

This comprehensive 10-year plan is a result of extensive consultation with our member associations, state and local government partners. We sincerely thank our members for their invaluable input in shaping this strategy. 

The NQIS builds on the foundation of the previous State-wide Facilities Strategy 2018-2025, incorporating updated facility audit data, analysis of participation and population projections and emerging trends in netball participation. 

The NQIS outlines our commitment to a targeted and balanced approach to facility development, ensuring that investments align with the shared priorities of all stakeholders and represent value for money. 

For more information and to view the full Netball Queensland Infrastructure Strategy, click here

We look forward to working alongside our associations, clubs, and facility providers to implement this strategy and foster greater diversity of participation across Queensland. 



Australian Sports Foundation (ASF) Charitable Status – Club & Association Survey 

The ASF is working with the Australian Government to attract new sources of philanthropic funding to community sport across Australia.   

Charitable status for community sport and amateur athletes will unlock significant additional philanthropic funding and increase the number of individual and corporate donors to sport. Modelling shows this change could unlock over $103 million in philanthropic giving a year for the sector by 2030. 

From July to September 2024, the ASF wants to your input to help shape the future of community sports funding in Australia. The data collected will be reported back to the Australian Government in late 2024. 

I encourage you to share your feedback. To participate in the five-minute survey, click here. 



Leaders Conference & Awards Night 

The Leaders Conference program has been released and is packed with some fantastic sessions.  You can check it out here.  A reminder that every Member Association receives one complimentary ticket to the Leaders Conference and information has been sent to members with the redemption details. Each additional ticket is $125 – a significant reduction on last year’s ticket price – and can be purchased at this link.   

On the evening of the Conference, we celebrate the season that was at the Awards Night, featuring the HART Sapphire Series MVP Award, the Katie Walker Medal.  This year it will be hosted at the beautiful Brisbane City Hall.  Tickets for the Awards night can be purchased at this link.   

We hope as many of you as possible can join us at both the Conference and Awards. 

Leaders Conference 

The Leaders Conference program has been released and is packed with some fantastic sessions.  You can check it out here.   

A reminder that every Member Association receives one complimentary ticket to the Leaders Conference and information has been sent to members with the redemption details.  Each additional ticket is $125 – a significant reduction on last year’s ticket price – and can be purchased at this link.   

On the evening of the Conference, we celebrate the season that was at the Awards Night, featuring the Katie Walker Medal, at the beautiful Brisbane City Hall.  Tickets for the Awards night can be purchased at this link.   

We hope as many of you as possible can join us at both the Conference and Awards. 



Fair Play Vouchers 


With the opening of the Queensland Government’s Fair Play vouchers' current round on Monday 1 July 2024, a significant amount of the 200,000 vouchers on offer have already been claimed.  There has been an incredible response to this initiative and the allocation of vouchers is very likely to be close to exhaustion.  However, we are encouraging anyone who is planning on claiming a voucher/s for their children to use for Netball Activities in Season 2024 or Season 2025, you should do so as soon as possible, via https://www.qld.gov.au/recreation/sports/funding/fairplay/apply. 

A reminder that there will not be another Fair Play voucher round prior to the commencement of Netball Queensland’s Season 2025, as the cycle of Fair Play voucher rounds has been changed to align with the Financial Year (July – June). There is a limit of one (1) voucher per child, per financial year, with a maximum value of $200.00.  


Should you have any questions regarding Fair Play vouchers, please contact community@netballq.org.au or the Fair Play Voucher Team within the Queensland Government (fairplayvouchers@dtis.qld.gov.au / 13 74 68.  And, don’t forget about the Fair Play resource centre within the Netball Queensland website - Fair Play Voucher Resource Centre - Netball Queensland. 



Firebirds Awards & Queensland Netball Hall of Fame 

On Thursday 1 August, the Queensland Firebirds celebrated the season that was which saw Macy Gardner awarded her first Firebirds MVP award, the Laura Geitz Medal.  The 24-year-old, an ever-present for the Firebirds this season, polled votes in 13 of 14 matches to finish the count on 53 votes – 12 clear of second-placed Hulita Veve.  The midcourt duo were the standouts in the count with vice-captain Lara Dunkley finishing third in the tally on 29.  

Hulita Veve’s fine return to the Firebirds’ full-time contracted list was rewarded with the inspirational mother of two winning both the Players’ Player of the Year and Members’ Player of the Year awards.  Another Firebirds mum, Ali Miller, received the Kierra Trompf Firebirds Spirit Award as determined by Firebirds management.  

There was also a special tribute to retiring captain Kim Ravaillion after the two-time premiership winner announced before the Round 14 match against Melbourne that she would be hanging up her purple dress.  

Departing players Donnell Wallam, Remi Kamo and Miller were also thanked for their contribution at the function.  

And, we also acknowledged and congratulated our 2024 Firebirds debutantes in Isabelle Shearer, Jess Milne, Ali Miller and Maddi Ridley. 

Thursday’s function also featured the announcement of the inaugural inductees into the Queensland Netball Hall of Fame. Inaugural Firebirds captain and Australian Diamonds great Vicki Wilson OAM was among the inductees, alongside triple premiership winner and former Firebirds and Australian captain Geitz, legendary coach and former Australian Diamond Liz White OAM and umpiring great and Netball Queensland identity Janelle Derrington.  

New Director for NQ Board

Following a thorough public recruitment process, Netball Queensland (NQ) was pleased to announce the endorsement of Kylie Blucher to fill the vacant Appointed Board Director position. 

With a distinguished career spanning over three decades in the television and radio industry, Kylie brings a wealth of experience, commercial acumen and expertise to the NQ Board.  As the current Managing Director of Nine Queensland and Nine Northern NSW, Kylie has demonstrated exceptional leadership and strategic vision in her roles. 

Kylie’s passion for netball and her previous involvement with Nine's broadcasting of the Suncorp Super Netball Competition further highlight her commitment to the sport, its community​​ and its future. 

Kylie’s impressive portfolio also includes significant contributions to various boards such as Major Brisbane Festival, Surf Lifesaving Queensland Foundation, Tourism Events Queensland, and the Queensland Performing Arts Trust, among others.  You can read more about Kylie’s appointment here. 

  

Diamond Spirit Dress Auction 

The Queensland Firebirds’ 2024 First Nations dress is designed by Valour Sport and features aspects of an original artwork by artist Leah Cummins. 

The artwork on the dress depicts the organisation’s cultural journey, highlighting the importance of reflection and the efforts of those who have paved the way to build a culturally safe environment. 

And as in 2023, this year’s First Nations dresses will be auctioned online, giving the public a chance to own a player-worn dress and raise funds for NQ’s Diamond Spirit program.  The Diamond Spirit program uses netball as a vehicle to engage, empower and educate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in remote and regional communities across Queensland.  Since 2017, 2,500 participants in remote communities have accessed netball clinics and inter-community carnivals through Diamond Spirit while 500 students have enrolled in Educate Hubs, which provide opportunities to enhance physical and cultural wellbeing. 

For more information on Diamond Spirit and how you can bid on one of the seven FN dresses and have a chance to own a unique piece of Firebirds history, please go to this link. 

 

Junior State Age 

Junior Stage Age was held in Brisbane at Downey Park Netball Association in late June and it was a fantastic competition.  In total 244 teams registered to compete, including nine boys teams, allowing netballers aged 12-14 years to showcase their talent and develop their ability. 

Walking through Tent City, the Chill-Out Zone and watching the action on the courts was an incredible experience and I saw a lot of familiar faces and met a lot of you for the first time which was fantastic.  Thank you to everyone involved from all the Member Associations – coaches, managers, umpires, officials, parents and of course participants.   

Our thanks and gratitude go to Downey Park Netball Association for their support and hard work alongside the NQ Competitions Team to ensure the event was a huge success.  NQ also acknowledges the support of all our partners – a record number attending the event with great activations, competitions and giveaways.  

Standby for news soon to come on dates and locations for Junior and Senior Stage Age in 2025! 

 

Leaders Conference & NQ Awards 

A reminder that tickets are on sale for NQs annual Leaders Conference and Awards Night, featuring the Katie Walker Medal, both taking place on Saturday 19 October.   

A reminder that every Member Association receives one complimentary ticket to the Leaders Conference and information has been sent to members with the redemption details.  Each additional ticket is $125 – a significant reduction on last year’s ticket price – and can be purchased at this link.   

Tickets for the NQ Awards night at the beautiful Brisbane City Hall can be purchased at this link.

We hope as many of you as possible can join us at both the Conference and Awards. 

Participation Growth – plans for a second season

I focused on this message in the May newsletter, but wanted to share it again as the opportunity is so great to continue to encourage participation in netball throughout the 2024 season.  Specifically, we are asking Member Associations to consider the netball content you have planned at the conclusion of your regular season.  

Spring/Summer seasons, social netball or short challenge competitions are all excellent examples of second season netball as are the establishment of NetSetGO! programs on site at local schools. Offering second season content allows netball to position itself as an “always on” sport, where consumers can find a place to play and a program to register in at any time of the year. If you are planning to run a second season, please consider opening registrations as soon as possible. If you’re not planning to run any second season content, but you’re happy for Netball Queensland to run something on your behalf, please get in touch with your Regional Manager. 



Leaders Conference & NQ Awards 

Tickets are now on sale for NQs annual Leaders Conference and Awards Night, featuring the Katie Walker Medal both taking place on Saturday 19 October.  The Leaders Conference is an unmissable event that unites our vibrant netball community for one day of inspiration, celebration, and collaboration.  This year we will hear from Netball Australia on the national strategic priorities of the sport and from leading sport administrators on the future of women’s professional sport and trends and challenges in organised community sport.  Delegates will also hear from experts on participation growth, practical and meaningful actions to advance reconciliation in your local netball community, building confidence in implementing programs and competitions for men and boys, high performance across the state and other strategic challenges.  A panel about the impact of Firebirds in the community will round out the day.   

That evening we will come together to celebrate the achievements of the netball community and our pathways programs, and recognise the hard work, dedication, and passion of our players, coaches, umpires, and volunteers. It promises to be a huge night of celebration, recognition, and entertainment.  For the first time in this awards program, we will count down the tally for the HART Sapphire Series MVP Award, the Katie Walker Medal. 

A reminder that every Member Association receives one complimentary ticket to the Leaders Conference and information has been sent to members with the redemption details.  Each additional ticket is $125.  Tickets for the NQ Awards night at the beautiful Brisbane City Hall can be purchased through the website.  We hope as many of you as possible can join us at both the Conference and Awards. 



Junior State Age 

Registrations have closed and we can’t wait for Junior State Age being hosted at Downey Park Netball Association in Brisbane.   Look forward to seeing many of you there in celebration of a great participation event showcasing friendship, community, belonging and some incredible on-court efforts.

Integrity in our sport is paramount to its success and enjoyment by all participants and this is.  A reminder that Netball Australia (NA) has finalised their integrity codes and policies for 2024 and Member Associations and Clubs can access them here. They cover integrity frameworks, member protection, safeguarding children and young people, corruption, sports science and sports medicine and concussion.

A reminder about the Netball Speak Up Hotline – 1800 955 900.  If you see, hear, or learn of any integrity issues you can call this number to confidentially report.

NQ will continue to work with NA to support ongoing roll out and awareness of these integrity measures.  A reminder that NQ has also engaged Not On My Watch to help run integrity and child safeguarding workshop sessions.  The next session is on 10 June via TEAMS.  You can register your interest here and if you have any further questions, please contact NQ’s Governance, Policy and Integrity Manager, Michael Wright at michael.wright@netballq.org.au.

Netball in Queensland Priorities 2025-2027 

In April, Netball Queensland (NQ) released a special document “The Future of Netball in Queensland” outlining the organisation’s priorities from 2025 to 2027 for the longer-term aspirations of netball in the state and in the lead up to the 2027 World Cup to be held in Sydney. 

Netball in Queensland is seeking to grow and develop the game in the face of fierce competition from the traditional male codes.  We don’t want to claw back the competition – we embrace the competition for talent and are proud that netball, as the pioneering sport for women and girls, remains the number one team sport for women and girls across the country. 

Among the priorities outlined in the document are desires to invest in regional communities and potentially take a Super Netball fixture outside of the state’s south-east as well as deliver impactful initiatives such as our First Nations Diamond Spirit Program and the Queensland Gems – the state team for women with intellectual disabilities. 

Community infrastructure priorities across the state including court resurfacing, lighting and all-weather courts and growing the game by increasing our capacity and capability to welcome boys and men into netball are other elements of the document.

Champion netballer and former Firebirds and Australian Diamonds captain Laura Geitz believed the priorities document was a welcome statement of intent leading into netball’s centenary in 2027 and that year’s World Cup and has recorded a message in support of the document View Here 

The Future of Netball in Queensland document is available online here. 

Participation Growth – plans for a second season 

As we continue our push to grow participation in Netball through the 2024 season, we are asking Member Associations to consider the netball content they have planned at the conclusion of their regular season. Spring/Summer seasons, social netball or short challenge competitions are all excellent examples of second season netball as are the establishment of NetSetGO! programs on site at local schools. Offering second season content allows netball to position itself as an “always on” sport, where consumers can find a place to play and a program to register in at any time of the year. If you are planning to run a second season, please consider opening registrations as soon as possible. If you’re not planning to run any second season content, but you’re happy for Netball Queensland to run something on your behalf, please get in touch with your Regional Manager. 

NQ Annual General Meeting outcomes - new NQ Director and Honorary Life Member, profit recorded 

Many thanks to our Member Association and Legacy Life Members who attended NQ’s Annual General Meeting in April.  At this meeting Queensland Firebirds great Clare Ferguson was elected to the NQ board.  Ferguson was part of three Firebirds’ premierships during her illustrious playing career, claiming titles in 2011, 2015 and 2016 as the club’s vice-captain and playing for the club from 2007 to her retirement in 2016.  She also made 15 appearances for Australia, captaining the Diamonds to gold in the 2016 Quad Series and Constellation Cup. 

Having someone with Clare’s deep experience as an elite netballer elected to the NQ board is a significant and exciting outcome. 

NQ Board and Members thanked outgoing elected Director, Marg Cedar, for her contribution to the organisation and particularly recognised her input and guidance on community netball initiatives and strategy. 

The AGM also included the announcement of NQ’s first Life Membership since 2015, with Emerald Netball Association president Nanette Hall’s extraordinary service to the sport recognised.  A founding member of the Emerald Netball Association (ENA) in 1978, Nanette's unwavering dedication to netball and her outstanding leadership have been instrumental in the growth and success of the ENA, which now boasts over 400 members. 

NQ’s Legacy Life Members were also recognised at the meeting with a presentation honouring them to coincide with Hall’s Life Membership award. 

NQ was also pleased to announce to members strong financial results for the 2023 financial year.  For the second year in a row, NQ posted a strong profit at EBITDA level (earnings before interest taxation depreciation and amortisation) with an EBITDA profit of $337,660 for the 2023 financial year (2022 EBITDA profit was $285,590). 

Pleasingly, the organisation also made a small net profit of $2,750 after depreciation and finance costs, which NQ has not achieved since 2018 (in terms of both an EBITDA and Net Profit excluding extraordinary items), which will be the new benchmark for the company. 

The 2023 NQ Annual Report is accessible here. 

Senior State Age, Junior up next 

Congratulations to all teams that attended Senior State Age at Western Districts Netball Association in Brisbane.   To commit to a competition such as State Age is a significant achievement for all involved.  This year we had our biggest Senior State Age yet with 185 girls’ teams and 13 boys’ teams that played 1,535 games of netball.  At times the conditions were trying, but we thank everyone – coaches, players, officials, volunteers, parents and spectators – for your support and patience as we worked to provide the best event possible. 

We are now gearing up alongside Downey Park Netball Association to host Junior State Age in June. 

We are well and truly underway with the 2024 netball season and I am hoping you are all enjoying seeing your courts thriving throughout the whole week with training and fixtures.

Netball is underway! 

The Australian Men’s & Mixed Netball Association National Titles were held at Nissan Arena over Easter, and Senior State Age kicks off tomorrow at Western Districts Netball Association.  Congratulations to everyone involved in staging these incredible netball events. 

The 2024 National Netball Championship will be held at Jubilee Park Stadium in Frankston from April 9-14 with representatives from the Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territory, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia joining Queensland in the competition.  19s Head Coach Rebecca Stower has named Jayden Molo as captain of her team with Ellie Brice to be the vice-captain. 17s Head Coach Anna Young has turned to Rio Burns as her captain with Sarah Joyce named as vice-captain. 

The Queensland Firebirds finished in the top four at the Team Girls Cup pre-season tournament in Sydney and their first home game of Suncorp Super Netball 2024 is on Saturday 20 April at Nissan Arena.  You can buy tickets here. 

Of course, community netball has or is soon starting right across the state and I wish you all the very best for a safe and fun netball season. 

Updated Integrity Policies  

Integrity in our sport is paramount to its success and enjoyment by all participants.  Netball Australia (NA) has just finalised their integrity codes and policies for 2024 and Member Associations and Clubs can access them here.  They cover integrity frameworks, member protection, safeguarding children and young people, corruption, sports science and sports medicine and concussion. 

I also want to draw your attention to the Netball Speak Up Hotline – 1800 955 900.  If you see, hear, or learn of any integrity issues you can call this number to confidentially report.    

Netball Queensland (NQ) will continue to work with NA to support ongoing roll out and awareness of these integrity measures.  A reminder that NQ has also engaged Not On My Watch to help run integrity and child safeguarding workshop sessions.  You can register your interest here and if you have any further questions, please contact NQ’s Governance, Policy and Integrity Manager, Michael Wright at michael.wright@netballq.org.au.  

Investment in Netball Facilities & Infrastructure  

The Queensland Government announced $5million to help the Rockhampton Regional Council develop a new home for netball in the city.  The funding will assist with detailed designs, costings and gaining relevant approval for the proposed new Rockhampton Sporting Precinct.   

Rockhampton Netball Association (RNA) is one of the largest participation sports associations in Rockhampton, with approximately 2,800 registered members.  Current netball facilities at Jardine Park are ageing and insufficient for increasing numbers of participants. 

This is great news for netball in the region, and there are many more infrastructure projects identified requiring support across Queensland and NQ is here to help attract funding.  In line with the Netball Queensland Strategic Plan 2023-25, NQ has engaged InsideEdge to assist in undertaking a review and refresh of our existing State-Wide Facilities Strategy 2018-2025 and facility audits are underway right across the state.  This advocacy document will be key to communicating with government of all levels to attract funding and support. 

To contribute to this process, make sure you complete the Infrastructure Strategy Member Survey. 

The Queensland Government has also recently announced successful applicants of the Minor Infrastructure and Inclusive Facilities Fund and of the 19 applications NQ supported, seven were successful amounting to a total of $1,874,644 in funding, and an additional $575,505 for other successful netball projects.  

Successful associations included: 

Cairns Netball Association Inc. - construct changeroom and amenities 
Ipswich Netball Association Incorporated - upgrade lighting  
Logan City Council in support of Beenleigh Netball Association - upgrade lighting  
Mount Isa Amateur Netball Association Incorporated - construct amenities  
Nanango And District Netball Association - upgrade courts  
Pine Rivers Netball Association Incorporated - construct grandstand seating and shade  
Western Districts Netball Association Incorporated - upgrade courts  
Boonah Show Society Inc in support of Fassifern Netball Association - construct amenities  
Jindalee Districts AFL & Netball Club - upgrade changerooms and amenities                                                  
For Member Associations with unsuccessful projects, we will review the applications and continue to support your priorities through other advocacy and funding opportunities. 

See the Funding & Grants section of this newsletter to see what’s opportunities are currently available. 

Reminder - NQ Annual General Meeting 2024 

Members have been advised that NQ’s Annual General Meeting will be held at 6pm on Wednesday 17 April, at Nissan Arena and online.  If you are attending in person or via videoconference please RSVP to secretariat@netballq.org.au by 5pm Monday 8 April 2024. 

It would be fantastic to welcome you in person or online so we can all share in recapping on what was a great year for netball in Queensland. 

Hello and welcome to another edition of the CEO Corner.

2024 Safeguarding and Integrity Workshops

Assisting our Members implement thorough Member Protection and Child Safeguarding policies is a priority for Netball Queensland (NQ).  Throughout 2024 NQ is hosting a series of Safeguarding and Integrity Workshops.  The first in-person workshop was held on 28 February at Nissan Arena and will be followed by further virtual offerings every month through to, and including, September 2024. The first virtual workshops are scheduled for Tuesday 26 March (6.30pm) and Monday 29 April 2024 (6.30pm).

The topics covered in each workshop are:

Netball’s National Integrity Policy Framework
Safeguarding Children and Young People
Member Protection and Respectful Behaviours
Complaint Handling/Management
Managing Sideline Misconduct
PLUS Relevant NQ Governance Updates
Netball Queensland have engaged Not On My Watch to help run the workshop sessions along with NQ staff.

You can register your interest here and if you have any further questions, please contact NQ’s Governance, Policy and Integrity Manager, Michael Wright at michael.wright@netballq.org.au


Participation Growth Strategy

Following extensive planning at the end of 2023, the NA Participation Team have been highly active in the new year supporting clubs and associations in recruitment of new participants into registered playing opportunities and the renewal of members returning from 2023. Support activities are primarily focused on market awareness and market transition. New initiatives have included the purchase of digital advertising in school newsletters within target catchments. Ads contain direct registration links and can be customised to highlight the relevant club or association.

A big reminder that the NQ Participation Team is out in the community helping to support the growth of netball right across Queensland and if you want any specific support for growing your registrations please reach out to your Regional Manager.


Youth Advisory Group 2024

The NQ Youth Advisory Group (YAG) has been established to provide a forum for members to discuss views and ideas and provide feedback to NQ management on the youth sentiment and experience of participating in netball.

12 applicants have been selected to form NQ’s 2024 Youth Advisory Group with the first of 11 meetings held in early February.  
Participants ages are spread from 12 to 19 years old and are geographically spread over Cairns, Emerald, Bundaberg, Hervey Bay, Toowoomba, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and Brisbane.  

We encourage all our Member Associations to consider establishing your own YAG and you can find out more information on how to do this here.


NQ Annual General Meeting 2024

Members have been advised that NQ’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held at 6pm on Wednesday 17 April, at Nissan Arena and online.  Voting Members have received a call for both Elected Director Nominations and Notices of Motion.  A reminder of timelines is as follows:

Monday 11 March - Elected Director Nominations due 
Monday 18 March - Elected Director voting method and instructions to be issued to NQ Members + Notices of Motions for AGM due
Monday 25 March - Notice of AGM & Financial/Annual Report distributed to NQ Members
Monday 15 April - Proxies must be received by NQ Company Secretary by 5pm
Wednesday 17 April - AGM
If you are attending in person or via videoconference please RSVP to secretariat@netballq.org.au by 5pm Monday 8 April 2024.


Firebirds are Go!

The SSN24 season is just around the corner with the Firebirds first game away against the Adelaide Thunderbirds on Saturday 13 April.  The Firebirds season draw has been released and memberships and home game tickets are on sale!  The first Firebirds home game at Nissan Arena is Saturday 20 April.  You can get all your Firebirds information here.

Hello and welcome to another edition of the CEO Corner.

Happy New Year! Are we still saying that??  I mean, January is already behind us, and we are well and truly into preparing for what is sure to be a fantastic netball season ahead.  I trust you had a restful and safe holiday season, and recharged the batteries as we are going to need all our energy this year – so much to look forward to. 

Growing opportunities for First Nations athletes 

We start the year with a great announcement in that Netball Queensland (NQ) and former Australian Diamond and Queensland Firebird Sharon Finnan-White have come together to grow opportunities for First Nations athletes through elite netball pathways in Queensland. 

Finnan-White’s First Nations Academy of Excellence (FNAE) and NQ have agreed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for both organisations to collaborate across the pillars of High Performance, Talent Identification and Competitions with the aim of enabling First Nations athletes to be well positioned to enter, enjoy and perform in high performance pathways and statewide events. 

NQ is committed to identifying and addressing instances where First Nations participants experience barriers to playing, performing and enjoying netball, and this includes pathways into the elite tier of netball and we are excited to see how this partnership with Sharon and FNAE will allow us to keep identifying and breaking down those barriers together. 

Policy for the Inclusion of Transgender and Gender Diverse People in Community Netball 

Continuing the focus on diversity and inclusion, NQ is also very pleased to launch our Policy for the Inclusion of Transgender and Gender Diverse People in Community Netball which was endorsed by the NQ Board in November last year and came into effect 1 January 2024. The policy supports transgender and gender diverse people to affirm their gender and participate in the gender category with which they identify. 

NQ’s policy applies to all NQ run community competitions and programs including:  

State Age (Junior & Senior)
Country Carnival
Vicki Wilson Championship and Boys’ Open
NQ Social Competition at Nissan Arena 
NQ member associations are encouraged to consider and adopt the policy for their own competitions and programs by 1 July 2024. Online information sessions for NQ member associations will be made available in the coming months to support the implementation of the policy. More detail to follow so keep an eye out.  

Netball ACT and Netball Victoria (NV) both introduced transgender and gender diverse inclusion policies in 2022, and in 2023 Netball Australia committed to developing their Inclusion of Transgender & Gender Diverse People in Community Netball Guidelines to support Member Organisations (MOs) yet to introduce a policy.  

NQ’s Policy for the Inclusion of Transgender and Gender Diverse People in Community Netball was developed with the support of Pride in Sport and informed by the experiences of other MOs. Representatives from NV attended the July meeting of NQ’s Diversity & Inclusion Board Subcommittee as guests to share with the group their key learnings developing and implementing NV’s transgender inclusion policy. 

NQ’s policy, which is supplemented by a two-page summary document and case studies, represents a person-centred approach to decision-making. This is an important step in our commitment to ensuring netball is a safe and inclusive space for all participants.  

You can read the full Policy for the Inclusion of Transgender and Gender Diverse People in Community Netball here, and learn more about our work in the LGBTQ+ space here. If you have questions or for more information, contact your Regional Manager or contact Autumn Pierce, NQ’s Head of Diversity and Inclusion, at autumn.pierce@netballq.org.au for a confidential conversation. 

State-Wide Facilities Audit – 2023 signed Queensland Firebirds balls on offer! 

In line with the Netball Queensland Strategic Plan 2023-25, NQ has engaged InsideEdge to assist in undertaking a review and refresh of our existing State-Wide Facilities Strategy 2018-2025 with the objective of extrapolating the strategy out to 2032. This also includes an update to the facility audit data previously captured.

Facility audits are underway right across the state.  I am very happy to announce that Brisbane Netball Association (BNA) was the first to complete the audit and will be the first recipients of 1 of our 2023 signed Queensland Firebirds balls.  There are 9 signed balls still up for grabs for Associations that: 

Complete the NQ Infrastructure Strategy - Member Survey and;
Assist in updating their facility data using the Sports Facility Auditor (SFA) program. 
NQ’s Head of Government Relations and Infrastructure, Teale Blessington, has offered her assistance to Member Associations where she can attend sites and conduct the audit herself.  Alternatively, Teale can arrange a Teams meeting to run you through the smartphone compatible and straightforward form on SFA to conduct the audit yourselves.  

NQ has set to release the refreshed NQ Infrastructure Strategy in March 2024. Ensuring most audits are completed in February will be critically important to informing the strategy and meeting (or coming close to) this March deadline.  This timing is important as the strategy will help NQ, in partnership with you, our Members, to advocate for and leverage grant and funding opportunities to deliver on facility priorities, particularly the upcoming 2024 State Election. 

As always, love to hear from you if you have any feedback or want to share any good news stories – I know they are out there, and we would love to help you promote them. 

I am very excited about the year ahead and what we will achieve and the impact we will make together.

Hello and welcome to another edition of the CEO Corner.

And just like that another year has almost passed by.  But of course, this time of year is very busy for the netball community with registrations for the 2024 season open!  And it is going to be a massive year ahead. 

NQ expands 2024 competition calendar 

If you haven’t seen the latest news, young netballers across Queensland are set for a bumper competition season in 2024 with NQ announcing the creation of two new competitions and a revamped Primary Schools Cup – offering greater opportunity to regional athletes. 

We have added Country Carnival and Primary Schools Galas to our 2024 competitions schedule.  The Country Carnival will be held at Townsville City Netball Association from 18-19 May with multiple divisions from ages 12-18 competing in the event for associations north of Gladstone, with associations south of Gladstone able to request approval to attend. 

NQ will also run Primary School Galas for students in Grades 4-6 at 10 locations across Queensland, removing barriers for students to attend. 

Both competitions join the existing schedule including the Junior and Senior State Age events, Vicki Wilson Championship and Boys Open and Primary Schools Cup - which will have the addition of a North competition in 2024.  More information about any of these events can be found here. 

NQ Strategic Plan Update 

Netball Queensland’s Strategic Plan 2023-2025 outlines the choices we are going to make over the coming three years as we strive toward our vision of being the most played and supported sport in Queensland.  And, it is important we review our Strategic Plan annually to ensure we are still on the right path.

As I flagged during my Opening Remarks at the Leaders Conference in October, NQ’s Management Team, with the endorsement of the NQ Board, undertook a mid-year review of the Strategic Plan which involved:

Reviewing progress against the Foundation Moves 2023 to determine whether any Foundation Moves needed to carry over into 2024; and 
Looking ahead to confirm whether the Key Initiatives outlined in Big Moves for 2024 and Bold Moves for 2025 were still applicable and/or need to be brought forward or pushed back. 
The updated Strategic Plan is now on our website.  You can see what progress we made against our 2023 Foundation Moves and what has been carried over into 2024.  We have also included some NEW initiatives for 2024 and 2025.

With thanks

My sincerest thanks to all of you in the netball Queensland community for another incredible year.  The passion, dedication, and commitment to growing our sport throughout the state is second to none. 

NQ exists to serve our Members and the netball community at large, and the NQ Board, management and staff all look forward to supporting you in 2024 to achieve the vision of netball being the most played and supported sport in Queensland. 

Please accept our warmest wishes for a safe and relaxing holiday season and new year.

Hello and welcome to another edition of the CEO Corner.

Leaders Conference & NQ Awards 2023

Another fantastic gathering of Netball Queensland (NQ) Members and staff right across the netball in Queensland network at the 2023 Leaders Conference.  A weekend of learning, sharing information and networking focused on building our capacity to continue to grow netball and support our members and volunteers right throughout the state.  It was so fantastic to see so many Member Associations represented and to meet with many of you for the first time. 

All the presentations from across the two days are available on the NQ Member Toolbox under the ‘Leaders Conference Presentations - 2023’ section.   

I have also provided a copy of my Opening Remarks on Day 1 of the conference where I shared some important messages about being a member-led organisation, NQ financial sustainability, season successes, connecting the Firebirds to the grassroots and updates to the NQ Strategic Plan.

We then came together to celebrate the season that was at the NQ Awards.  We want to grow the NQ Awards into an annual celebration of everything that is special about netball in Queensland, encompassing recognition of our pathway right across the board and so it was a big night with lots to celebrate! 

More than ever there are eyes on all sports at all levels watching how we conduct ourselves and treat others and so a new category was added to the Awards this year – the Netball Respect Award.  This award recognises initiatives and ideas that help to foster a safe, fair and welcoming environment that ensures all netball participants are able to fully enjoy their netball experience feeling protected and valued within their community.  I am very proud of the inclusion of this category which gives us the ability to showcase nominees and the important work they are doing in this space and I congratulate Phoenix Netball Club from the Northern Gold Coast Netball Association as the inaugural winner. 

In addition to our traditional and converted NQ Awards categories, and to celebrate the achievements of their respective campaigns, for the first time we also welcomed guests and finalists from   

Our Queensland 17U and 19U teams 
Our Firebirds Futures Team
The Qld Suns Mens & Mixed Netball Teams
HART Sapphire Series Sapphire and Ruby Teams
And the Queensland Gems  


NQ Infrastructure Strategy stakeholder survey

During this year’s Leaders Conference, Members had the opportunity to book in a 30min session to speak with Teale Blessington (NQ Head of Government Relations & Infrastructure) and Jake McMinn (insideEdge Consultant) about their facility priorities over the next ten years, as part of our NQ Infrastructure Strategy refresh.  

Your feedback is vital to ensure the NQ Infrastructure Strategy addresses the current and future needs of netball across Queensland. The survey takes about 10-15 minutes to complete. We thank you in advance for your support. 

Reminder - calls for nominations for honorary life membership

Last year’s endorsed changes to Netball Queensland’s (NQ) Constitution saw Honorary Life Membership reinstated and NQ is pleased to be calling for nominations from the netball community to uncover the organisation’s newest Honorary Life Member.  Anyone who has rendered longstanding service to netball or an NQ member association, is eligible for nomination, with applications open until Friday 22 December.

Hello and welcome to another edition of the CEO Corner.


Leaders Conference and Awards Evening Preview 

Netball Queensland is excited to welcome the Netball Queensland Community to the 2023 edition of the Leaders’ Conference on the weekend of Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 October 2023.  The venue for this year’s Leaders Conference is the Hilton Brisbane. 

We have put together a fantastic program of content bursting at the seams with presentations and discussions on valuable topics and ideas that attendees can take away from the event and consider application of at your own local level. 

In between the two days of content at the Leaders Conference is the Netball Queensland Awards Evening, where the Netball Queensland Community comes together for the opportunity to acknowledge and recognise those that have excelled in 2023.  Although there can only be one winner in each category, big congratulations must go to all the finalists in each category - deciding on the winners in several of the categories was exceptionally difficult.

All the information you need regarding the 2023 Leaders’ Conference and the Awards Evening is in the Hub. 


Netball Queensland’s 2023 Member Association and Club Development Webinar Series 

August saw the final session (“Showcasing the Netball Queensland Community”) within Netball Queensland’s 2023 Member Association and Club Development webinar series. 

A big thank you to Zara Kuskopf (President, Mt Isa Amateur Netball Association), Paula Sale (President, Western Districts Netball Association) and Rachelle Swan (President, Pine Rivers Netball Association), each of whom spoke eloquently and sincerely about how their respective organisations have identified, managed and continue to manage the challenges involved with the operation of a community netball organisation, regardless of their organisation’s size, geographic location or even whether the challenges faced have arisen unexpectedly. 

For those that missed the live session, the complete series, including the final session, is available within the ‘Webinars’ section of Netball Queensland’s Member Toolbox. 

Thank you also to Michael, Steve and the rest of the team at CPR Group (Netball Queensland’s preferred provider for governance support for its Member Associations and their Affiliated Clubs) for their assistance in facilitating these sessions for Netball Queensland’s Community. 


Toolbox Tip 

The Member Toolbox is an invaluable one-stop-shop of resources to assist you with all facets of running your Member Association.  Each month I will feature one of the “tiles” on the Toolbox, so you are aware of the breadth and depth of information available.   

Financial Management is one of the most important aspects of your Association’s ability to operate and provide services for its members. There are also obligations the Association needs to meet to maintain compliance with regulatory bodies.  At this tile you will find: 

A webinar on finances and risk management for Member Associations and their affiliated clubs
Information on the Office of Fair Trading
Financial management for not-for-profit organisations
Information on funding and grants
A budget planner template

Don’t forget, this is a living resource and if you have information or a resource that you would like to make available through this Toolbox please contact NQ’s Member Services Manager, Shawn Fitzgerald at Shawn.Fitzgerald@netballq.org.au.   


Celebrate the Legends of our Game 

The stars of our game are set to be celebrated as part of Netball Queensland’s inaugural Fifth Quarter event on 3 November. As part of Netball Queensland’s Strategic Plan 2023-25, the organisation has made a commitment to reconnecting with Former Firebirds, cultivating a past player network, and preserving the game’s history. Guests will hear from a panel of our legends, including Vicki Wilson OAM, Karen Clarke and Liz White OAM. As well as special guest, Queensland Rugby League CEO, Ben Ikin.  Read more about the inaugural 2023 event and how to buy tickets here. 

Hello and welcome to another edition of the CEO Corner.

NQ calls for nominations for honorary life membership

Last year’s endorsed changes to Netball Queensland’s (NQ) Constitution saw Honorary Life Membership reinstated and NQ is pleased to be calling for nominations from the netball community to uncover the organisation’s newest Honorary Life Member.  Anyone who has rendered longstanding service to netball or an NQ member association is eligible for nomination, with applications open until Friday 22 December.  

NQ’s recently established History and Traditions Advisory Group will then consider the nominations before making their recommendation to the NQ Board in early January 2024.  At the NQ Board’s first meeting of 2024, the nominations will then be assessed before one of the nominees is submitted for election as an honorary life member.  The nominee’s election as an honorary life member will then be determined at the 2024 NQ Annual General Meeting on 23 March, 2024.  All Member Associations will have received an email from NQ’s Company Secretary with this same information.  To make an application click here. 


2023 Member Consultation Survey

The 2023 Member Consultation Survey has been released and we are looking forward to getting your feedback across a broad spectrum of areas.  This is an important consultation, and your answers will help NQ better understand your needs and wants to and continue to improve our member services and offerings in 2024.  If you haven’t had a chance to complete the survey, I really encourage you to do so as your feedback is important.  The survey closes at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday 3 October 2023, and you can access it here. 


Infrastructure Strategy

In line with the Netball Queensland Strategic Plan 2023-25, NQ has engaged InsideEdge to assist in undertaking a review and refresh of its existing State-Wide Facilities Strategy 2018-2025 with the objective of extrapolating the strategy out to 2032. This will also include an update to the facility audit data previously captured.  

The refresh will include a review of the existing strategy, consideration of new audit findings, netball participation trends as well as current and forecasted population growth to guide the strategic prioritisation and provision of netball infrastructure in Queensland over the next 10 years.   

The NQIS will be developed in consultation with key stakeholders including all levels of government, our Member Associations, clubs, schools, indoor netball venue operators and other sporting codes and is due to be complete in February 2024.

There will be a dedicated NQIS Stakeholder Engagement Plan and I hope you have noticed increased communication about the NQIS via the website and NQ Newsletters. NQ will commence running stakeholder workshops / interviews (either in person or online) with key stakeholders.  A stakeholder survey will also be distributed via the NQ Newsletter in the October edition and available on the NQ website so keep an eye out. InsideEdge will also attend the Leaders Conference in October and use the opportunity to conduct more face-to-face Member Association engagement.


Infrastructure Funding

Several months ago the Queensland Government announced a $10 million Inclusive Facilities Fund (IFF) which is set to open in September. Off the back of the Women’s FIFA World Cup, the Government announced that this fund would increase to $25 million. 

The Government also announced that Round 2 of the Minor Infrastructure Program (MIP) will be brought forward from January 2024 to open in September – around the same time as the IFF.  There will be $10 million available to support new and upgraded changerooms and amenities that meet universal design principles.  And, a further $15 million to support new, upgraded and end-of-life field of play and ancillary facilities to meet activity requirements at a community level. 

At this stage, Guidelines for both Funds have not been released and will be shared with Members through Regional Managers once they become available.  NQ will provide support to any Members interested in applying, so please reach out to your Regional Manager.  
  

State Age Locations

NQ was thrilled to announce both the Senior and Junior State Age competitions will be hosted in Brisbane in 2024.  

The 2024 Senior State Age competition will be hosted by Western Districts Netball Association from April 6 to 9 while the Junior State Age competition is heading to Downey Park Netball Association from June 29 to July 2.  

Both events, which have grown significantly over the past two years after being split into separate events, showcase the outstanding talent and dedication of young netball players from across the state representing Netball Queensland member associations.  

These State Age competitions hold a special place within the netball community, providing a platform for young athletes to showcase their skills and passion for the game. These events bring together players, coaches, officials, umpires, and spectators in a festival of netball, creating an unforgettable experience for all involved.


RUOK Day – 14 September 

R U OK? Day is on 14 September and I wanted to take the opportunity to remind Members of the support services offered by preferred provider, White Cloud Foundation. 

Through our partnership, the White Cloud Foundation provides free of charge tele-mental health services to NQ staff, representative players, Member Associations, clubs and their participants, associated family members and other affiliates. White Cloud provides practical support and easier access to clinical treatment for people living with, or at risk of developing depression and/or anxiety.  As a registered charity, all of White Cloud’s programs and services are funded through donations, grants, sponsorship and fundraising activities. Anyone over 12 years of age can access White Cloud Tele-Mental Health for just the cost of a local call. There are no other costs involved. People seeking help or support can just call us direct to speak to one of White Cloud’s psychologists, counsellors, social workers, dietitians and/or exercise scientists/physiologists. To access White Cloud Foundation’s tele-mental health service call 07 3155 3456. No referral is required and the service is free to access. Children under the age of 12 should continue to access the Kids Helpline as needed on 1800 551 800 

R U OK? is a public health promotion charity that encourages people to stay connected and have conversations that can help others through difficult times in their lives.  Their work focuses on building the motivation, confidence and skills of the help-giver – the person who can have a meaningful conversation with someone who is struggling with life.  Members can access some great resources from their website.   

NQ will be marking R U OK Day with a team walk around the QSAC precinct, a team talk from an R U OK Community Ambassador and other activities to continue to develop our culture and connections in the workplace. I encourage Members to think about how you can do this in your communities.  

Hello and welcome to another edition of the CEO Corner. 

Member Engagement

This month myself and Glenn Dennis, General Manager Netball and Roselee Jencke, Head of Emerging Pathways visited Rockhampton, Mackay and Townsville (and later this month will head to Cairns) to talk to Member Associations in those towns and surrounding regions about the establishment of the Emerging Country Athlete Program.  A big shout out to all of the Member Associations and Club representatives that joined us for these consultation sessions, your feedback is invaluable, and we look forward to finalising the details of this program very shortly. 


Welcome Adrian Thompson

This month we welcomed a new Executive Leadership Team member to Netball Queensland (NQ) in Adrian Thompson who has been appointed to the position of General Manager High Performance. This role is responsible for providing system leadership for the strategy development, implementation and review of all aspects of the high-performance environment under NQ’s remit contributing to continuous learning and performance improvement for athletes, coaches, umpires, officials and high-performance employees and stakeholders in the high-performance pathway. 

You can read more about Adrian’s appointment here. I know Adrian is very keen to get out and about across the state to meet with our Member Associations and hear about your aspirations and expectations of the high-performance pathway in Queensland. 


Leaders Conference & NQ Awards Night 2023

A reminder that dates and details of NQ's 2023 Leaders Conference and NQ Awards Night have been released. It is going to be a fantastic weekend and a great opportunity for us all to come together, share ideas, learn from each other, collaborate on important topics and celebrate and reflect on the achievements for the 2023 season.   

The Awards Night is also an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of NQ’s netball community.  It is a night where we come together to recognise the hard work, dedication, and passion of our players, coaches, umpires, and volunteers. This year, we will be honouring the best of the best in the netball community.  You can nominate a Person or an Organisation for a 2023 Netball Queensland Community Award here. 



Firebirds Futures

NQ will enter a bold new era at this year’s Australian Netball Championships (ANC) with the unveiling of the Firebirds Futures side.  Aimed at building alignment with the Queensland Firebirds Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) team, the previous Queensland Sapphires brand will transform into the Firebirds Futures and will continue to provide aspiring Queensland athletes with exciting opportunities to train and compete in a high-performance environment. 

Recently we named a 12-strong Firebirds Futures team (alongside six training partners) to compete at the 2023 ANC to be held in Morayfield, Queensland from 21 – 27 August.

The 2023 ANC will be available to watch live, on-demand and free via Kayo Freebies. Kayo Freebies can be accessed by downloading the Kayo Sports app or visiting www.kayosports.com.au/freebies and creating an account. Kayo Freebies are free with no credit card details required.  Fixtures and ticketing information for the 2023 Australian Netball Championships will be made available in the coming weeks. 


Cheer on the Diamonds

I hope you are looking forward to cheering on the Australian Diamonds and watching all the incredible action from the Netball World Cup 2023 being held in South Africa from 28 July to 6 August.  To find out more, including information on the schedule and the officials selected for the event, you can visit the Netball World Cup 2023 hub. 

Hello and welcome to another edition of the CEO Corner.

Junior State Age 2023 

I was thrilled in June to head up to Townsville for the 2023 Junior State Age event with a remarkable increase in participation in teams from the region. The number of north Queensland teams who took part in the four-day competition more than doubled, with 26 teams from eight different associations registering.  In total 219 teams registered to compete, including five boys teams, allowing netballers aged 12-14 years to showcase their talent and develop their ability.  

Walking through Tent City, the Chill-Out Zone and watching the action on the courts was an incredible experience and I saw a lot of familiar faces, and met a lot of you for the first time which was fantastic.  Thank you to everyone involved from all the Member Associations – coaches, managers, umpires, officials, parents and of course participants.   

Also a big shout out to the Coach Development and Umpire Coaches who supported the coaches and umpires over the four days of competition.  Don’t forget about all the great coach and umpire development resources available on NQ’s Member Toolbox. 

Our thanks and gratitude also go to Townsville City Netball Association for their support and hard work to ensure the event was a huge success.  Netball Queensland also acknowledges the support of presenting partner Nissan as well as a grant received from Townsville City Council to bring the event to the city.  

Standby for news soon to come on dates and locations for Senior and Junior Stage Age in 2024! 



Social Impact Study 

As per NQ's Strategic Plan 2023-2025, work has commenced on a Social Impact Study with research partner, Solucio. The study aims to understand the role of volunteers, particularly coaches, on the social and emotional wellbeing of netball participants and what impact this has on key community health indicators such as social isolation, resilience, social cohesion, truancy, youth suicide and happiness.  

This data will be useful in quantifying the social and economic value of community netball to drive future investment, but more importantly, it will give us insight into the impact of volunteers so that this can be built into our volunteer education programs and reward and recognition programs, ultimately leading to better volunteer retention and higher quality experiences for community netballers.  

The study will involve primary research through an online survey of Queensland netball participants (including players, coaches, umpires and volunteers) as well as a series of interviews with key stakeholders to unearth stories and case sties of where netball is the vehicle for social good within the community.  We would love your input should you be approached to participate. 



Leaders Conference 2023

Dates and details of NQ's 2023 Leaders Conference and Community Awards have been released and we are thrilled with how the weekend is shaping up.  It is such a great opportunity for us all to come together, share ideas, learn from each other, collaborate on important topics and celebrate and reflect on the achievements for the 2023 season. 

Tickets for both events are on sale now! 

Dear Members,

Hello and welcome to another edition of the CEO Corner.


Historic regional board meeting 

May saw the first Netball Queensland (NQ) board meeting outside south-east Queensland, signifying a significant milestone for the organisation, with members of the board engaging with the local and surrounding netball communities in north Queensland over the course of a weekend. 
 
NQ board members met with NQ regional-based staff and held events with key stakeholders and members of the local and surrounding netball community to create connections in an environment conducive to sharing ideas and fostering growth. 
 
NQ board and staff also enjoyed community netball attending the Townsville City Netball Association’s Future Diamonds Carnival on Sunday.  Queensland Firebird and Australian Diamonds superstar Gretel Bueta also attended all events, adding an extra layer of excitement and inspiration especially for the young athletes as they get a chance to meet one of world netball’s most talented and celebrated players. 
 
This historic board meeting presented an unparalleled opportunity to collaborate and connect with local stakeholders and promote the growth of netball in this vibrant region and the NQ board looks forward to more in the future. 



Establishment of the Emerging Country Athlete Program  

During their meeting in Townsville, the board gave their endorsement for the establishment of an Emerging Country Athlete Program (ECAP) to enhance development opportunities for emerging netballers in regional Queensland by replicating the elite coaching program delivered through NQ’s current Emerging Athlete Program (EAP).  

The ECAP will work with small cohorts of identified athletes to prepare them for successful State Titles campaigns and optimise their chances of state selection and subsequent national categorisation.  

This program is the strongest method by which NQ can increase the likelihood of North Queensland athletes being represented at Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) level and beyond. 

The board’s support for this initiative signals the strategic importance of a strong pathways system across the state and reaffirms NQ’s commitment to genuine development in regional areas. 



National Reconciliation Week & First Nations Round

Last week we recognised National Reconciliation Week 2023 and here at NQ we had a fantastic array of activities and initiatives to mark this important week.   We had our inaugural First Nations dress auction raising money for our Diamond Spirit program, we also had our Diamond Spirit Leadership camp, Reconciliation Week Community Netball Day, Firebirds Captains Run activities and Deadly Choices activity all in the lead up to our First Nations Round at Nissan Arena on Sunday 4 June.

Dear Members,

We are well and truly into the netball season.  I hope all your plans for a great season ahead are coming to fruition.

This month I have had the pleasure of attending Senior State Age at Sunshine Coast Netball Association, joined the opening ceremonies the Greater Brisbane Netball League, hosted four Queensland Firebirds home games at Nissan Arena and launched the HART Sapphire Series. 

Its GOLD for Queensland at the National Netball Championships 

Recently we also celebrated the Queensland 17 and Under team winning gold at the National Netball Championships in Darwin beating the defending champions NSW and after having gone undefeated through the whole campaign.  The Queensland 19 and Under also won their fifth place play off, capping off an impressive week by the team, who missed out on a top four berth only on countback after three teams finished level on points.  Having put in such incredible performances it was no surprise that several Queensland representatives earnt Australian 17/U and 19/U selection for which we extend our warmest congratulations.  

I would also like to acknowledge the incredible efforts of Queensland umpires Claire Kleinschmidt and Di Fawcett who were selected to umpire at the Championships.  Kleinschmidt, who officiated at the Australian Netball Championships last year and is a member of the 2023 Suncorp Super Netball Talent and Development Squad, had this honour for the second time.  It is the first time Fawcett, who was awarded her National A Umpiring badge last year, officiated at a National Netball Championships.

Hit the Dot

NQ and community organisation Hit the Dot have established a memorandum of understanding to enable more participants with intellectual disabilities to enjoy and excel at netball.  Hit the Dot, provides a learning environment where participants are supported to build netball skills, improve overall fitness, make positive social connections and learn life skills.  Hit The Dot also delivers the Hidden Gems Netball Academy, which focuses on building the skills of women eligible to represent Queensland at the national Marie Little Shield tournament.  

The Queensland Gems are the representative state team for women 16 and over with an intellectual disability and Hidden Gems is an important pathway to the national platform.  

Hit the Dot provides another pathway and program for women with intellectual impairments to play netball for their state and NQ is very proud to be aligning with the organisation in pursuit of great netball outcomes for people with intellectual disabilities.

NQ Board goes regional

The month of May sees the Netball Queensland (NQ) Board hold a board meeting in regional Queensland for the first time.  In Townsville over the weekend of Saturday 20-21 May directors of the board, accompanied by NQ management and staff, will attend netball carnivals, view netball facilities and host stakeholder engagement functions with members of the local netball community and surrounds, council, state and federal government and sponsors.  We are all very much looking forward to hearing directly from the local community on how netball is progressing in the region, and what the priorities and aspirations are for associations and clubs.

Queensland Firebirds

With the Suncorp Super Netball season already over half way, and with only two more Queensland Firebirds home games left at Nissan Arena, don’t forget to purchase tickets here.

Netball Queensland Annual General Meeting 

Many thanks to those of you who attended Netball Queensland’s (NQs) Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Saturday 25 March at Nissan Arena or online.   

Attendees were told about how NQ has increased its workforce in the regions with a focus on strengthening relationships with our stakeholders and the wider netball community to support the continued growth of the game across the state. 

Total netball participation grew to 127,600 in 2022. This consisted of registered players, camps, clinics, school programs and an army of netball volunteers. 

Netball’s home, Nissan Arena, delivered 35 major events including seven Firebirds’ matches and 20 Brisbane Bullets’ fixtures, four major boxing events, the Harlem Globetrotters and three cheerleading events (across six days). Community court utilisation reached 79 per cent for the year with a record attendance of 400,880. 

Directors Simone Waugh and Dianne Croonen were also re-elected to their positions for a further three-year term during the AGM. 

The Chair and CEO Report and the details of all achievements across 2022 can be read in the NQ Annual Report. 

Following the AGM the NQ Board held an extraordinary board meeting and elected Leanne Coddington as the organisation’s new board chair.  Leanne, who was appointed to a director position with the board in February, fills the vacant chair role with Ian Fullagar having stepped down from his position earlier this year after his appointment term came to an end.  A former senior executive at Tourism and Events Queensland for the past 26 years, including being CEO from 2013-2022, Leanne brings enormous experience and capability into the role.

Leanne looks forward to meeting many of you as she gets out and about to Stage Age carnivals, HART Sapphire Series fixtures and Firebirds home games. 

Netball Queensland Board Subcommittees, Advisory Groups and Panels 

NQ receives enormous support from advisors and experts in their fields who volunteer their time on NQ’s Board Subcommittees, Advisory Groups and Panels to help guide NQ in a range of matters.  We thank all the members of those committees and advisory groups and panels for their time and dedication to guiding us in achieving our key initiatives in the NQ Strategic Plan 2023-25. 

NQ Board Subcommittees include: 

Finance, Audit & Risk Management  

Technology & Digital  

Diversity & Inclusion  

Queensland State Netball Centre  

Remuneration 

Nominations  

Advisory Groups include: 

Boys & Mens  

Competitions  

First Nations  

Youth  

History & Traditions  

Panels include: 

Umpires  

Code of Conduct & Integrity Tribunal Panel  

More information on all of our Board Subcommittees, Advisory Groups and Panels can be found here.  If you have any specific questions on any of the groups, please contact me at ceo@netballq.org.au. 

It was fantastic to attend Senior State Age hosted by Sunshine Coast Netball Association.  Congratulations to all the associations, players, officials, volunteers and sponsors who collaborated to deliver such an incredible experience. 

Dear Members,

And just like that it’s March.  I know all of you have been working so hard to get the netball season up and running and I hope you are looking forward to seeing your courts bustling with netballers soon. 

Child safeguarding and misconduct 

In continued support of safe environments for netballers in Queensland, this first quarter of the year has seen a focus on providing Associations with access to training, information, tools and support on misconduct and child safeguarding space.  NQ has engaged Morgan Lander from Not On My Watch to deliver a series of webinars on these topics including Managing sideline misconduct, Safeguarding children and young people, Member protection information officer training and Complaint officer training.  In addition to the option to attend live online, the webinars were also recorded and are being posted to the NQ online Member’s Toolbox to allow associations and clubs to watch at your own pace.  Feedback on the sessions has been overwhelmingly positive and we are aware of a few associations taking proactive measures as a result of the training.  

Affiliate Finder 

The Affiliate Finder is another online tool that people wanting to be a part of the NQ community can use to find their way to your Association or Club.  For instructions on how to add and / or update your organisation’s details, please follow these simple instructions.  If you do need further assistance, do not hesitate to reach out to the NetballConnect Helpdesk. 

Registering Your Association / Club Coaches, Umpires and Volunteers in NetballConnect 

With NQ removing the cost for non-playing members for Season 2023 and Association competitions starting to commence in the NQ community, I really encourage you to ensure that everyone who is involved with the facilitation of netball in your organisation is registered on NetballConnect in the roles they are filling. 

There are many great reasons for people to register, regardless of whether the person is already registered as a player or in another role in NetballConnect for Season 2023.   

Firstly, it benefits the individual, as it formalises that they are a member of NQ, in the event of an insurance claim, it also enables them to be eligible to access development opportunities in their role. 

Secondly, it benefits the Association or Club the person is registering with, as the person needs to acknowledge and agree to NQ’s policies and by-laws and in registering in NetballConnect requires the person (role dependent) to input their information concerning their eligibility to provide child-related activities (either Blue Card (Qld.)) or Working With Children Check (NSW)).  This safeguards everyone. 

Finally, it benefits NQ, as it gives us a more accurate understanding of the sheer size of netball in Queensland and assists us when advocating with government entities at all levels for the betterment of netball. 

History & Traditions Advisory Group 

We were thrilled to open Expressions of Interest for NQ’s History and Traditions Advisory Group that has been established to advise the Board and Management on matters of cultural heritage.  You can read more information on the Group here. 

Annual General Meeting 

A reminder of our Annual General Meeting coming up on Saturday 25 March.  If you haven’t done so, please RSVP to secretariat@netballq.org.au by 5pm Monday 20 March 2023.  Would love to see as many of you in person at Nissan Arena, or online, so you can hear about Netball Queensland’s progress over the past twelve months. 

Enjoy the rest of the month! 

Kate Davies - CEO

Dear Members, 

As every day passes we inch closer and closer to the 2023 season.  I hope all your preparations are going well and you are tapping into the support of your Netball Queensland (NQ) Regional Managers and Community Development Officers as you may require. 

By now you will have received the first couple of notices relating to Netball Queensland’s (NQ) Annual General meeting (AGM) coming up on Saturday 25 March in the VIP Suites at Nissan Arena.  Following feedback from Members, we have moved the AGM to the morning of a weekend to accommodate in-person attendance.  And of course, you are also welcome to join the meeting online if that suits you best.  A reminder that Nominations for the two elected director positions are due by Friday 17 February and Notices of Motion are due by Friday 24 February.  Please RSVP to secretariat@netballq.org.au by 5pm Monday 20 March 2023. 

Late last month Netball Queensland acknowledged the passing of Legacy Life Member Helen Stevens.  A stalwart of the Downey Park Netball Association from its establishment in 1974, Helen had a long involvement in Brisbane netball as a player, administrator and supporter.  A defender with a reputation for shutting down the opposition’s best attacker, Helen represented Brisbane in the early 1940s and also represented Queensland during her playing career.  Helen also held the role of secretary at Downey Park from 1987 to 1989 and then treasurer from 1990 to 1991.  Helen made lifelong friendships through netball, while her daughter Vicki and granddaughter Natasha would also go onto represent Queensland.  A regular attendee of Queensland Firebirds matches, not even a move to Tasmania five years ago prevented Stevens from following her beloved team – attending Gretel Bueta’s 100th national league appearance against Collingwood in Hobart last year.  On behalf of Netball Queensland and the broader netball community, flowers were presented at Helen’s memorial in Brisbane. 

Our Legacy Life Members are an integral part of the netball community and it was important that Life Membership was reinstated into the NQ Constitution during the review late last year.  I look forward to sharing news shortly about the process for future Life Membership applications. 

The Suncorp Super Netball pre-season tournament, Team Girls Cup, is being held at the Gold Coast Sports & Leisure Centre this year from Friday 24 February to Sunday 26 February.  This will see all eight SSN Teams come together to compete, and kids fourteen years and younger can go for free.  Our Queensland Firebirds play on Friday night and Saturday afternoon and evening, with finals on the Sunday.  You can view the full fixture here. 

And don’t forget, Firebirds home game tickets are on sale and selling fast! 

To close, I want to acknowledge the tireless work of Ian Fullagar who is stepping down from his position on the Netball Queensland (NQ) board.  Since his appointment to the NQ board in 2016, Ian has played a key role for netball in the state especially as the board’s chair since April 2021.  One of Fullagar’s first challenges upon his election as board chair was ensuring Queensland hosted the 2021 Suncorp Super Netball season in a COVID-19 compliant setting, just as it had the year before. 

Following a recruitment process undertaken by NQ’s Nominations Committee and endorsed by the Board, NQ is also delighted to announce Fullagar’s appointed director position will be replaced by Leanne Coddington.   

You can read more about Ian’s contribution, and Leanne’s background and experience in our announcement here. 

Following NQ’s Annual General Meeting, the NQ Board will convene to appoint a new chair. 

Enjoy the rest of the month! 

Kate Davies - CEO

Dear Members, 

Happiest of New Years to you all.  I trust you enjoyed a safe and relaxing break with family and friends over the holiday season.  I am pleased to let you know that the Netball Queensland team have returned to the office ready and raring to go for what is sure to be a fantastic season of netball ahead.  So much preparation and planning was done in the back end of the year, informed by consultation with all our Member Associations, to ensure that the programs, services and support we have planned are based on the needs of the netball communities right across Queensland. 

It has now been one year since taking on the role of CEO.  When I reflected on 2022, I went back and re-read the announcement of my appointment to the role.  In this announcement I spoke about how I wanted to be part of an organisation that is doing things that matter, grounded in solid values and providing unforgettable experiences – and I can confidently say that is the organisation I lead.  And I wanted to hear from all the voices that make up the Netball Queensland community and work with you to grow the game.  Thank you to everyone who has reached out to me to say hello, provide feedback, share history and touch base over the course of my first year, it has been greatly appreciated.  

I also remarked that NQ staff and stakeholders needed a strong sense that we know where we are heading and what we are all working towards. To that end, last year we refreshed our Netball Queensland Strategic Plan 2023-25 which reaffirmed our Purpose – To enrich lives through netball, and cemented our Vision – To be the most played and supported sport in Queensland and that we would achieve all that through a Game Plan focused on initiatives across four key pillars – Grow, Play, Inspire and Lead.  I trust this refreshed Strategic Plan gives you confidence that NQ is focused, determined and organised to uphold our responsibilities as the governing body of the sport in Queensland. 

On that note, I want to give a big reminder about our NQ Event Calendars which provide you with real-time, up to date information on athlete, coaching, umpiring and Office Bearer / Committee Member development and training opportunities and other events and items of note concerning NQ, as well as participant-related events such as competitions, camps and clinics.  

Also, make sure you are accessing all the incredible resources in the Member Toolbox.  With new information being uploaded regularly, this is your one-stop-shop for information, support and ideas across a range of areas including coaching development, government and infrastructure, dispute resolution, volunteer management and financial management to name a few. 

The Birdies are back and tickets are on sale! We had a fantastic community event in Brisbane to launch tickets on sale and announce the Leadership Group with Kim Ravaillion back as Captain to lead Firebirds for 2023 Suncorp Super Netball season.  We were thrilled to include regional Queensland in this announcement with a treasure hunt of Firebirds merchandise placed in iconic spots across the state – from Currumbin to Biloela, to the South Coast and up to Yeppoon, from Nanango to Ipswich, and from Blackwater to Roma and everywhere in between over 50 packs were sent out for fans and members to find.  First home game is on Sunday 19 March and we would love to see you there. 

To end this month's message, I want to warmly acknowledge and thank the current Chair of NQ, Ian Fullagar, for his contribution as a Director of NQ for the past seven years.  Ian brought nearly 30 years’ experience in legal practice to the NQ board with diverse corporate and commercial legal experience and specialist expertise in Sports Law and Public Law. With his term exhausted, Ian will be stepping off the board in early February.  Announcements will be made soon regarding the new appointed director to take up the vacancy.  As per the NQ constitution, a new Chair will be appointed by decision of the Board following the Annual General Meeting in late March. 

I wish you all the very best as you all complete final preparations for the season ahead and look forward to seeing many over you over the course of the year. A reminder to reach out and connect with me any time at ceo@netballq.org.au.  

Kate Davies - CEO.

Dear Members, 

It’s almost Christmas!  Time flies when you are having fun, and I can’t believe I have almost been in this role for 12 months.  I am thoroughly enjoying getting to know you all, and working together as we pursue our vision to be the number one played and supported sport in Queensland.  

Last month saw the culmination of several months of consultation with the passing of Netball Queensland’s (NQ) revised Constitution at a General Meeting held on 22 November.  We also released NQs revised Membership Bylaw.  Many thanks to those of you, including several NQ Life Members, who contributed to this review, your support and guidance was greatly appreciated and assisted management in getting this great outcome. 

At the final NQ Board meeting of the year Directors endorsed Netball Australia’s (NA) Inclusive Uniform Guidelines, and NQ’s Inclusive Uniform Policy.  NA will soon be publicly announcing the guidelines and celebrating the significance of all State Member Organisations coming together for this important piece of work.  The NQ Inclusive Uniform Policy can be viewed here.  This is an important moment for our sport as we signal to all participants that the uniform is no longer a barrier to participation.  Our very own Queensland Firebirds will also be supporting this policy when they take to the court at the pre-season tournament, Team Girls Cup, in February next year sporting selections from their one-team uniform. 

In further important steps on ensuring our sport is inclusive and welcoming, NQ has released information to members on NQ’s position on the practice of disallowing or capping the number participants in under-12 competitions based on their sex/gender, along with contemporary policy guidance to as it relates to the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth).  This was emailed to all members earlier today and is available here.  Should you have any questions, please contact your Regional Manager. 

Finally, I hope you have also had a chance to go through the Local Marketing Toolkit that was release by the NQ Marketing Department last month.  With the 2023 sign on period approaching fast, NQ has released resources to assist you in promoting registrations for your netball season.  This toolkit is designed to help you promote your Association or Club and to attract new people to get involved with our game in your local area. It includes various marketing templates, cheat sheets and creative assets for your use.  NQ will continue to develop out the toolkit over time to help support the growth of many other areas, including the recruitment of coaches, umpires, and volunteers, how to build relationships with local schools and community groups plus collateral to promote the other netball programs you may want run such as clinics, walking netball or Woolworths NetSetGO. 

All my warmest wishes for a safe and relaxing holiday season and new year.  I look forward to supporting you in 2023 to achieve the vision of netball being the most played and supported sport in Queensland. 

That’s it from me for this month.  A reminder to reach out and connect with me any time at ceo@netballq.org.au.  

Kate Davies - CEO.

Dear Members, 

Hello and welcome to another edition of the CEO Corner. 

I hope you have been enjoying watching the recent Origin Diamonds campaigns against New Zealand and England with incredible debuts from our Queensland Firebirds, Ruby Bakewell-Doran and Donnell Wallam. Netball Australia has also released the 2023 Suncorp Super Netball Fixture and you can check out the full Firebirds home and away fixture here with our first home game at Nissan Arena scheduled for Round 1 on Sunday 19 March. 

I wanted to take this opportunity to thank the 30+ Member Associations who have taken the time to complete the 2022 Members Consultation Survey. This is very important consultation, and your answers will help Netball Queensland (NQ) better understand your needs and wants and provide better service in 2023. If you haven’t had a chance to complete the survey, I really encourage you to do so as your feedback is important. The survey closes on Friday 18 November, and you can access it here. 

Recently NQ announced it has partnered with the White Cloud Foundation to provide free of charge tele-mental health services to NQ staff, representative players, Member Associations and clubs and their participants, associated family members and other affiliates. Established in 2011 by Brisbane-based Professor Adam Scott, White Cloud provides practical support and easier access to clinical treatment for people living with, or at risk of developing depression and/or anxiety. As a registered charity, all of White Cloud’s programs and services are funded through donations, grants, sponsorship and fundraising activities. Anyone over 12 years of age can access White Cloud Tele-Mental Health for just the cost of a local call. There are no other costs involved. People seeking help or support can just call direct to speak to one of White Cloud’s psychologists, counsellors, social workers, dietitians and/or exercise scientists/physiologists. To access White Cloud Foundation’s tele-mental health service call 07 3155 3456. No referral is required and the service is free to access. Children under the age of 12 should continue to access the Kids Helpline as needed on 1800 551 800.  

That’s it from me for this month.  A reminder to reach out and connect with me any time at ceo@netballq.org.au.  

Kate Davies - CEO.

Dear Members, 

Thank you to all 33 Member Associations and representatives from our partners and industry stakeholders for attending Leaders Conference-Lite on Saturday 8 October.  We were thrilled with the attendance and engagement throughout the day. 

Netball Queensland Strategic Plan 2023-25 was revealed to the audience outlining the pathway to achieving the vision of making netball the most played and supported sport in Queensland. 

The plan, the culmination of months of collaboration between the NQ board, staff, key stakeholders and feedback from Member Associations, outlines where the organisation will spend its main efforts to achieve the goals set out. 

NQ has established four strategic pillars of Grow, Play, Inspire and Lead to drive the ambitions of the sport in the state over the next three years. 

The plan outlines the choices NQ is going to make over the coming three years as the organisation strives toward our vision of being the most played and supported sport in Queensland. 

Other highlights of Saturday’s Leaders Conference-Lite included an NQ Financial Update, keynote speaker and former Australian Cricket Captain Belinda Clark AO sharing her record-breaking experiences on and off the field and a presentation from new preferred supplier Court Craft. 

Attendees also learnt about the support clubs and associations can access through a new online Toolbox and were given the inside word on pre-season training from the new Head Coach of the Queensland Firebirds Bec Bulley and some of the Firebirds players themselves. 

At the Conference we also announced the 2023 membership fee structure which recognises the vital role of non-playing members by abolishing fees for thousands of coaches, managers, assistant coaches, umpires, administrators, officials and other invaluable volunteers across the state. 

This decision by NQ’s board has been made to support member associations in recruiting and retaining volunteers by removing one of the key impediments to that process. 

Charging volunteers to register as volunteers is a unique characteristic of netball and seems counter-intuitive to a sport that has flagged decline in volunteerism as an operational risk and volunteer attraction and retention as a strategic priority. 

Abolishing the non-playing membership fee speaks to the intent NQ has had since commencing the refresh of the strategic plan, which includes a laser-focus on servicing and providing value to our members. 

This decision removes barriers for our volunteers and will ensure playing members – those who derive the most direct enjoyment from netball membership – will not have their own opportunities restricted by a lack of crucial non-playing members. 

NQ will also establish a Community Support Fund which will provide an initial investment of $10,000 to cover the costs of up to 95 Netball Queensland memberships.  This fund will allow Netball Queensland to offer a reduction or waiver of fees to community members who need it most. 

Information from the conference will be made available to all member associations. 

We also held the NQ Awards in the event and I give my warmest congratulations to all the finalists and award winners whom we recognised and celebrated – you can read all about them here.  

We received some great feedback over the course of the Conference and into the evening as we hosted both the conference and the NQ Awards at Nissan Arena for the first time.  If you have any feedback on the weekend events, please be sure to share it with your Regional Manager.  Or, as always, feel free to drop me an email at kate.davies@netballq.org.au  

Kate Davies - CEO.

Dear Members, 

There is less than a month to go until Leaders Conference-Lite at Nissan Arena. 

After listening closely to feedback about the purpose and timing of Leaders Conference, we have refreshed our approach to this Member event.  Each year Leaders Conference will now be held in October (instead of March) as a run-up to the start of the season the following year.  Leaders Conference will still feature our important NQ Community Awards.   

To kick-start this new conference rhythm, we are hosting a Leaders Conference-Lite on Saturday 8 October 2022, including the Community Awards in the evening.  As we work hard to reduce the cost of the event, we will also be hosting the conference and the awards at Nissan Arena.  We will be extending a complimentary ticket to all Member Associations and encourage anyone from the netball community who feels they will benefit from participating in the program to purchase a ticket to attend.  We are committed to evolving this event to bring as much value to you as possible.   

The Program is packed with great sessions from Netball Queensland executive and staff, and NQ partners.  You will hear important information about NQs: 

Finances and 2023 Membership Fees 
Updated Constitution & Membership By-law 
New Strategic Plan 2023-2025 
Sport Australia Hall of Fame inductee, Belinda Clark AO is our guest speaker and she will share with us her incredible journey in sports administration including the development of Australian Cricket Junior Formats, and her role in the success of the ICC T20 World Cup 2020 which saw a record 86,174 fans at the MCG for the final of Australia vs India.  

There is a dedicated session on growing participation in netball, including how NQ is supporting Members with a new digital Toolbox and Marketing Kit. 

We are also going to hear from our new Official Supplier Court Craft.  Court Craft is a specialist civil construction, structural landscaping and sport surfacing company with a 40-year history in designing and constructing court and field sports installations.  Court Craft have surfaced or built over 3,000 courts. 

You will also get to meet the Firebirds Operations staff, so you can understand the team behind the team, and there will be appearances by the players themselves. 

If you haven’t registered for your Association’s complimentary ticket, please do so as soon as possible.  Tickets can also be purchase at this link.  

Look forward to seeing you there, 

Kate Davies - CEO.

Dear Members, 

Welcome to the second edition of our Members Monthly newsletter. 

I want to take this opportunity to provide you with a further update on the development of Netball Queensland’s Strategic Plan 2023-2025. 

Our refreshed plan will outline the choices we are going to make over the coming three years as we strive toward our vision of being the most played and supported sport in Queensland.  We are creating a clear and simple strategic plan that sets out in no uncertain terms what the strategic imperatives are for the organisation over the coming three years.   

Specifically, this plan will: 
- Be framed through the lens of Netball Queensland being a Membership based body governed by a constitution with priorities on increasing and improving services and support to Members, 
- Guide how each part of our organisation (services to Member Associations, community netball, pathways, schools, Nissan Arena and the Firebirds) contributes to our overall success,  
- Inform the development of annual budgets  and operational plans, and 
- Inform Netball Queensland staff performance management and development. 

As some of you will recall from the presentation by Netball Australia’s CEO, Kelly Ryan, at our Leaders Conference back in March, Netball Australia has adopted World Netball’s strategic framework which outlines three core strategic pillars that will shape Netball Australia’s actions over the coming years; these are the pillars of “Grow”, “Play” and “Inspire”.  Netball Australia also elected to add a fourth pillar, being “Lead”. 
  
Netball Queensland will adopt this same strategic framework and our Strategic Plan 2023-2025 and will also articulate strategic imperatives under the four core strategic pillars of Grow, Play, Inspire and Lead.   

I want to share with you the focus for each pillar which will have specific initiatives listed for each year of the strategic plan: 
- Grow: Be targeted and tenacious in identifying commercial opportunities to improve our ability to invest in the game. 
- Play: Maximise opportunities for people to love our game at any level they participate in. 
- Inspire: Be relentless in telling our story and showcasing our game – the athletes, the experiences, the opportunities, the achievements, the contributions. 
- Lead: Develop organisational capacity and capability so we can be at our best, support our members and advance the sustainable development of netball. 

We have been socialising the draft of the plan with our Board Sub-Committees and Advisory Groups.  We look forward to presenting the final plan to the Netball Queensland Board for approval at the August Board meeting and then sharing the plan with you all at Leaders Conference-Lite in October. 

A reminder that all Member Associations get a free ticket to Leaders Conference-Lite and tickets are NOW ON SALE via the link below.

That’s it from me for this month.  A reminder to reach out and connect with me any time at ceo@netballq.org.au.  

Thanks,
Kate Davies - CEO.

Dear Members, 

Great to be writing to you from the CEO Corner in our first edition of our Members Monthly electronic newsletter. 
The purpose of this communication is to provide you with news and information on Netball Queensland’s efforts to support you, our Members, and the growth of our game across the State. 

LEADERS CONFERENCE UPDATE
First up I want to announce that after listening closely to feedback about the purpose and timing of Leaders Conference, we will be refreshing our approach to this Member event.  Each year Leaders Conference will now be held in October as a run-up to the start of the season the following year.  Leaders Conference will still feature our important Community Awards.  To kick-start this new conference rhythm, we will be hosting a Leaders Conference-Lite on Saturday 8 October 2022, including the Community Awards in the evening.  In special news, and as we work hard to reduce the cost of the event, we will also be hosting the conference and the awards at Nissan Arena.  We also heard that it was important to launch the details of the agenda as early as possible so we will be including these details at the same time as tickets go on sale – which will be by the first week of August.  We will be extending a complimentary ticket to all Member Associations and encourage anyone from the netball community who feels they will benefit from participating in the program to purchase a ticket to attend.  We are committed to evolving this event to bring as much value to you as possible. 

MORE BOOTS ON THE GROUND
In recent weeks Netball Queensland has received increased government funding which will allow us to expand our workforce into regional areas and focus more energy into targeted initiatives to transition participants from schools into registered programs and competitions in associations and clubs. Plans for delivering growth will be based on consultation with associations and clubs later in the year which will also cover other development support areas including coaching, officiating, governance and local area marketing.  We are currently in market recruiting for Community Development Officers in Toowoomba, Cairns and Mt Isa with recruitment in more locations to come. 

MEMBERSHIP & CONSTITUTION UPDATE
Over the past couple of months, we have been working to review Netball Queensland’s constitution and membership policy as a result of the Supreme Court judgement on Ipswich Netball Association.  This work will produce a streamlined membership process, as well as present a more inviting and compelling case for membership with Netball Queensland.   We look forward to sharing a detailed update on this with you at Leaders Conference-Lite. 
 
NETBALL QUEENSLAND STRATEGIC PLAN 2023-2025 
We are well progressed in refreshing the current Netball Queensland Strategic Plan.  Our refreshed plan will outline the choices we are going to make over the coming three years as we strive toward our vision of being the most played and supported sport in Queensland.  We operate in an increasingly complex and cluttered environment where the wave of support and engagement in women’s sport from codes traditionally dominated by men is significant.  We need to work harder than ever to be the sport of choice for women and girls and put more energy into learning from others as we welcome and embrace a participation and audience base more inclusive and reflective of our society.  Again, we look forward to sharing with you the new Strategic Plan at Leaders Conference-Lite in October. 

QUEENSLAND FIREBIRDS
The Queensland Firebirds are looking ahead to Suncorp Super Netball season 2023 after a heartbreaking loss to the NSW Swifts ended this year’s premiership campaign.  We have been diligently contracting players to lead us into next season, and we have announced a new Head Coach.  You will get to hear from our Firebirds and support staff at Leaders Conference-Lite.  Importantly, we want to work with all of our Member Associations to hear how we can better connect our Firebirds to our grassroots members to ensure we are inspiring boys and girls right across the state to play and watch our great game.  More on this to come and will be another topic for discussion at Leaders Conference-Lite. 
 
That’s it from me for this month.  Please keep reading to learn about all the other goings on at Netball Queensland.  Also, reach out and connect with me any time at ceo@netballq.org.au.  

Kate Davies
CEO