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AFL Queensland has announced the establishment of Australia’s first AFL Diversity Academy at CJ Greenfields Sporting Complex in Brisbane.

The AFL Queensland Diversity Academy at Inala will house many of AFL Queensland’s multicultural, Indigenous, female and disability programs including the KickStart and All Nations academy programs for young men and women from Indigenous and multicultural backgrounds, schools programs such as the Bachar Houli Cup, female talent initiatives and the disability inclusion program.

Five full-time development staff will be based at the precinct to help grow Australian Football in the fast-growing and highly diverse Logan-Ipswich Corridor while AFL Queensland will also seek to employ local development staff from the Inala-Richlands area to create a new employment pathway for local youth.

AFL General Manager Game and Market Development Simon Lethlean, said the academy reflected the AFL’s commitment to engaging diverse communities, stating “to continue to be Australia’s Game it is vital that we tell the stories of all Australians and be truly reflective of broader society.

“AFL Queensland is enjoying great success in engaging with diverse communities across Brisbane and regional Queensland.

“This year, nine young Queensland women were drafted to play in the AFL Women’s Exhibition Matches, the Queensland All Nations team won the Under 15 National Championships, Brisbane’s Geoff Palmer was named the National AFL Multicultural Ambassador of the Year, AFL Cape York House in Cairns continued to provide positive outcomes for young Indigenous males and all-abilities NAB AFL Auskick clinics were launched in Brisbane.

“The AFL Queensland Diversity Academy will provide further opportunity for developing talent and providing access to our many game development programs.”

Lethlean also praised the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council for their ongoing support of AFL in Queensland, adding “these partnerships help us to improve health outcomes and foster community cohesion and we look forward to partnering with them on this and other initiatives that get Queenslanders involved in sport.”

Queensland Minister for Women, Youth and Multicultural Affairs, Shannon Fentiman thanked AFL Queensland for its leadership promoting women in sport and encouraging social cohesion.

Minister Fentiman stated “sport brings people together and is a great way to get to know each-other.

“Programs like the AFL Queensland Diversity Academy show that Queensland is a true multicultural success story.

“And of course it is always fantastic to see our young women and girls thriving in sports like AFL.” 

The AFL Queensland Diversity Academy will officially open in March 2016.

Image (from left): AFL National Game and Market Development Manager Simon Lethlean; Queensland Minister for Communities, Women and Youth/Minister for Child Safety/ Minister for Multicultural Affairs Shannon Fentiman; Brisbane City Councillors Krista Adams and Milton Dick join AFL Queensland Multicultural Ambassadors at the announcement of the AFLQ Diversity Academy.

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