Netball Australia
Netball Australia is the main governing body for netball in Australia. It is affiliated to World Netball. It is responsible for organising and administering the Australia national [netball team], Suncorp Super Netball, Australian National Netball Championships, and the Australian Netball Championships. It previously organised and administered the ANZ Championship, the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league and the Esso/Mobil Superleague.
Netball Australia was originally founded in 1927 as the All Australia Women's Basket Ball Association. In 1970, after "women's basket ball" became known as netball, the organisation changed its name to the All Australia Netball Association. It adopted its current name in 1993.
History
Netball Australia was founded on 26/27 August 1927 as the All Australia Women's Basket Ball Association during an interstate women's basketball carnival. Its founding members included the Sydney City Girls' Amateur Sports Association, the Australian Ladies Basket Ball Association, the South Australian Women's Basket Ball Association, the Melbourne Girls Basket Ball Association and the Basket Ball Association of Perth. Tasmania began competing in national tournaments in 1933. The Netball [Australian Capital Territory|Australian Capital Territory] and Northern Territory joined in 1975 and 1977 respectively. In 1970, after "women's basket ball" became known as netball, the organisation changed its name to the All Australia Netball Association. It adopted its current name in 1993.Amid a funding crisis where Netball Australia lost 7 million over two COVID-impacted years, in 2022 the organisation announced that it had secured Hancock Prospecting as high performance program partner from 2022 to 2025, with an investment of 15 million over four years. Netball Australia announced that Hancock would invest directly in the Diamonds’ athletes and coaches, and provide funding support for training camps and competitions. The Diamonds team was photographed in uniform bearing the Hancock Prospecting logo. It was later revealed that some players did not support Hancock Prospecting as a sponsor due to historical comments made by the company's founder, Lang Hancock on indigenous issues and the company's record on environmental issues. The controversy led to the resignation of Netball Australia Chair, Marina Go, citing personal reasons; and the Diamonds refused to wear the sports uniform with Hancock Prospecting logo. Within a month of announcing the sponsorship deal, Hancock Prospecting withdrew their offer, saying it did not wish to add to netball's “disunity problems”. Hancock offered Netball Australia short-term funding until such time as a more permanent arrangement could be secured.
Competitions
Current
Former
Australian Netball Awards
Netball Australia hosts the annual the Australian Netball Awards.Current awards
the awards included:- Liz Ellis Diamond
- Australian International [Player of the Year |Australian International Player of the Year]
- Australian Netball Hall of Fame
- SSN Team of the Year
- SSN Player of the Year
- SSN Rookie of the Year
- Joyce Brown Coach of the Year
- Lorna McConchie Umpire of the Year
- Dr Eve Fesl First Nations Black Swans Award, established 2024, in honour of Eve Fesl; recognises a First Nations national team player who has "demonstrated high standards of integrity and high-performance behaviours, as well as significant cultural leadership";sponsored by the Confident Girls Foundation
- ANPA Heart of the Game Award, established 2024; recognises an SSN player "who embodies the spirit of the Australian Netball Association’s manifesto demonstrating exceptional commitment to netball, personal growth, community impact and positive influence"
Former awards
- Australian [ANZ Championship Coach of the Year]
- Australian ANZ Championship Player of the Year
Member organisations
- Netball Australian Capital Territory
- Netball New South Wales
- Netball Northern Territory
- Netball Queensland
- Netball South Australia
- Netball Tasmania
- Netball Victoria
- Netball Western Australia
Board
Presidents
| Years | President |
| c. 1950s | Eunice Gill |
| 1955 | Anne Clark |
| - | |
| 1960 | Anne Clark |
| - | |
| 1966 | Anne Clark |
| - | |
| 1972 | Anne Clark |
| - | |
| 1978 | Anne Clark |
| 1978–1988 | Deirdre Hyland AM |
| 1988–1995 | Margaret Pewtress OAM |
| - | |
| 1995–2004 | Sue Taylor |
| - | |
| 2004–2006 | Marilyn Melhuish OAM |
| 2006–2016 | Noeleen Dix |
| 2016–2019 | Robert Shaw |