Netball NSW is delighted to announce that incumbent Chair Sallianne Faulkner has been re-elected to the organisation’s Board of Directors for a further three years.
Sallianne Faulkner, who took over as Chair of Netball NSW last year, was one of three Board appointments made at last weekend’s Annual General Meeting with Carol Murphy OAM and Dr. Ben Hamer also voted in for three-year terms.
With the Netball World Cup coming to Sydney in 2027, Sallianne said the game had a wonderful opportunity cement its place as the leading sport of choice across the state.
“My key focus going into the next term is to provide leadership into the World Cup so that Netball in NSW gets the legacy and exposure it richly deserves,” she said.
“We tend to hide our light under a bushel, it’s time netball got its share.
“Further, we need to attract strategic investment and put bluntly we need courts to play netball on. Investment is critical.
“Our Netball NSW management and team need to be supported to deliver a high standard of work within a secure and clear framework to make the most of opportunities."
Netball NSW Life Member Carol Murphy OAM, who was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for services to the game in 2022, is returning to the Board of Directors having served from 2009 to 2021.
Carol is a stalwart of the Baulkham Hills Shire Netball Association where she previously served as President.
She believes that balance is the key to advancing netball’s position in a more challenging sports environment.
“With the growth of other sports providing choices for girls and women that have not been available in the past, we need to focus on what can be done to grow and maintain our membership,” she said.
“We have to move forward in business and governance, but I believe it needs to be done hand in hand with respect and understanding of our history.
“I am honoured to again have the opportunity to work towards the betterment of Netball NSW, its wonderful team and its members.”
Dr Ben Hamer, who has represented NSW at Mixed Opens level, currently sits on the Board of the Australia Human Resources Institute a Non-Executive Director role. He has held numerous executive roles in the public and private sector and holds a doctorate in Public Administration.
“While I have a performance-oriented mindset, our game is far more than what we see in the elite environment,” he said.
“The way netball embodies the have-a-go attitude, its stance on inclusive participation from uniform design through to men’s programs and providing a platform for the continued advocacy of girls and women, should always remain a key priority and focus.
“We need to work hard to ensure the game remains relevant, attracts grassroots participation, and adapts to the changing sporting landscape, but I know we have all the right elements to do this. Now it’s about working with the team at Netball NSW and our community to achieve this.”
Both appointments come after the Board terms of Louise Sullivan and Martha Lourey-Bird came to an end. Netball NSW would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their service to the organisation.
