From 23 July 2025 to 15 August 2025 Council had invited the community and stakeholders to comment on the draft Equitable Access and Usage Policy.

There was one (1) written submissions received on the proposal. The feedback was presented to Elected Members in a report at the 16 September 2025 Council Meeting. A copy of the Submissions Summary Report is available in the Document Library.

At the 16 September 2025 Council Meeting, Council adopted the Equitable Access and Usage Policy.

The purpose of the Policy is to increase female participation in sport by providing women and girls better access to sporting infrastructure, programs and services.

It provides a management framework to address barriers experienced by girls and women in accessing and using community sport infrastructure. The Policy is designed to trigger a mechanism whereby Gender Impact Assessments are conducted at the planning stage for new or upgrades to sporting infrastructure, or the development of new programs and services for females.

Key Messaging:

Increase community engagement and raise awareness around equity and access issues facing girls and women to sporting facilities, as well as other minority groups facing equity and access issues.

Introducing a Gender Impact Assessment process each time a council owned sporting / recreation facility is earmarked for an upgrade or replacement, or a new sporting program or service is being designed and developed.

Written submissions are invited on the Equitable Access and Usage Policy and can be received through the following means –

• Mid Murray Your Say feedback form,
• Letter addressed to the Chief Executive Officer, Mid Murray Council, PO Box 28, Mannum SA 5238, or
• Email postbox@mid-murray.sa.gov.au

Submissions will be received until 5pm Friday 15 August 2025.