Petition: Save NZ Netball — Protect the Future of Our National Sport

To: The Minister for Sport and Recreation, New Zealand Government

Petition Request

That the New Zealand Government recognise netball as a strategically important national sport and support urgent action to secure its long-term sustainability, protecting participation opportunities, pathways and the future of the game for communities across Aotearoa.

Background and Reason for Petition

Netball is more than a sport — it is part of the fabric of New Zealand communities.

With almost 150,000 registered players across Aotearoa, supported by thousands of coaches, officials, volunteers, administrators, whānau and supporters, netball is one of New Zealand’s largest organised sports and the country’s leading female participation sport.

Every week, across schools, clubs and communities, netball provides opportunities for people to participate, connect, develop skills and build lifelong relationships.

While netball is predominantly played by women and girls, its impact reaches far beyond the court. It provides opportunities for all New Zealanders involved in the game  including coaches, officials, volunteers, administrators, parents and supporters — and contributes significantly to the strength and wellbeing of our communities.

For generations, netball has been one of the most important pathways for women and girls in sport. It has enabled thousands of young women to:

participate in organised sport;
build confidence, resilience and leadership skills;
develop coaching, officiating and governance capability;
represent their schools, communities and country;
see female athletes celebrated as role models.
At a time when New Zealand is rightly focused on growing women’s sport, increasing participation and creating more opportunities for girls and women to succeed, we cannot allow one of our most successful female sporting pathways to be placed at risk.

The challenges facing netball are not simply an organisational issue. They are a national sporting and community issue.

The impact of an unsustainable netball system would be felt by:

the young girl playing her first season;
the teenager developing confidence and belonging through her team;
the athletes aspiring to represent their country;
the coaches and officials developing the next generation;
the volunteers who dedicate thousands of hours to making the game possible;
the communities that are strengthened through participation.
We Call on the Government to:

Recognise netball as a strategically important national sport for Aotearoa New Zealand.
Support an urgent independent review of the financial sustainability, governance and operating model of netball at all levels.
Work collaboratively with Netball New Zealand, regional centres, clubs, athletes, volunteers, sponsors and communities to establish a sustainable future pathway for the sport.
Protect grassroots participation and ensure that children, young people, women and communities continue to have access to netball.
Ensure transparency, accountability and a clear future plan so that netball can continue to thrive for generations to come.
Why This Matters

Saving netball is not simply about protecting an elite competition.

It is about protecting opportunity.

It is about ensuring that every child who wants to play has a place to play, every volunteer who gives their time has a sport worth supporting, and every athlete who dreams of reaching the highest level has a pathway to follow.

Netball has shaped generations of New Zealanders. It has created leaders, role models, friendships and communities.

Protecting the pathway from grassroots to greatness

For many young athletes, netball is not just a game — it is a pathway.

The journey begins at school and community level, where young players learn the values of teamwork, resilience, discipline and leadership. For those with the ambition and ability, that pathway has traditionally progressed through representative programmes, high-performance development, domestic elite competition and ultimately the Silver Ferns. 

The current uncertainty surrounding the future of New Zealand’s domestic professional competition creates concern about what this means for the next generation of athletes. The ANZ Premiership has provided an essential platform where New Zealand’s best players can compete at the highest domestic level, develop their skills, inspire young players and prepare for international success. 

A strong national pathway matters because young athletes need to be able to see a future in their sport. They need to know that the hours they invest, the sacrifices they make, and the dreams they hold have a pathway to follow.

If we lose the strength of our domestic competition, we risk losing more than a league — we risk weakening the bridge between community netball and the Silver Ferns.

Protecting netball means protecting that pathway.

We ask the Government to act now to protect the future of netball in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Our Game. Our Future. Save NZ Netball.