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Integration of First Peoples' Perspectives

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Integration of First Peoples' Perspectives

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In 2023, Tennis Queensland called for First Nations artists to contribute artwork to its Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan. This step highlights the role of cultural expression in shaping inclusive environments. Indigenous art across events, facilities, and programs and the organisation can demonstrate respect for cultural identity and create a stronger sense of belonging. Such initiatives help embed First Nations perspectives into sport in visible and lasting ways, while strengthening connections with the community.

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Reconciliation Action Plan Artwork Expression of Interest

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Tennis Queensland is seeking expressions of interest from Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people to create a…

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Tennis Queensland’s 2022–23 report shows its First Nations work moving from discrete events to a more structured approach. It documents long-running community carnivals such as the Western Rivers Cup and the Cairns Indigenous Tennis Carnival. It confirms TQ commenced its first Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan to formalise actions and accountability. Read together, these details mark a shift from ad-hoc participation to a pathway model aligned to Tennis Australia’s national initiatives, with Queensland-based events creating selection opportunities for the National Indigenous Tennis Carnival.

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This review from the Rumbalara Wellbeing and Resilience Project highlights how racism and a lack of cultural safety shape Indigenous Australians’ experiences in sport and recreation. The findings show that exclusion and misunderstanding can limit participation and negatively affect wellbeing. For Tennis Queensland, it reinforces the need to ensure initiatives like the National Indigenous Tennis Carnival are culturally safe and inclusive. Building programs on respect and recognition is key to encouraging long-term participation and creating genuine opportunities for Indigenous athletes.

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Stronach, Adair, and Maxwell (2018) explore how Aboriginal women’s aquatic traditions were disrupted by displacement and discrimination. Their research reveals how swimming skills faded despite a deep cultural connection to water. While focused on aquatics, the themes of access, cultural loss and community resilience carry lessons for tennis. For Tennis Queensland, this highlights the need to respect cultural histories and rebuild sport participation in ways that acknowledge, honour and are shaped by First Nations communities.

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‘Djabooly-djabooly: why don’t they swim?’: the ebb and flow of water in the lives of Australian Aboriginal women

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Aquatic activities have been pivotal to the lifestyle of Australian Indigenous peoples for millennia. That historical connection with rivers, streams and beaches is a largely untold story. This pap…

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Evans et al. (2015) argue that sport is sometimes viewed as a solution to the broader social and economic challenges faced by Indigenous communities. They caution that this view can reinforce stereotypes, such as assuming Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are naturally gifted athletes. For Tennis Queensland, the study underscores the importance of programs that extend beyond participation numbers and instead prioritise genuine partnerships, cultural understanding, and broader community benefits that are linked to health, education, and opportunities.

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Indigenous Participation in Australian Sport: The Perils of the ‘Panacea’ Proposition | Cosmopolitan Civil Societies: An Interdisciplinary Journal

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The argument that participation in sport among disadvantaged populations can produce positive outcomes in wide range of areas has been a consistent theme in academic literature. It is argued that sport participation can promote women’s empowerment, sexuality, lifestyle, peacemaking, youth development, poverty reduction and conflict resolution. Similarly, in Australia, participation in sport among Indigenous Australians has been proffered as a ‘panacea’ for many Indigenous problems; from promoting better health and education outcomes, to encouraging community building, good citizenship and entrepreneurship. Parallel to this has been a focus on documenting and analysing sport participation among Indigenous Australians in elite sport which often concludes that Indigenous Australians have an innate and ‘natural ability’ in sports. These two assumptions, first, that sport participation can help realise a wide range of positive social outcomes; and second, that Indigenous Australians are natural athletes, have driven significant public investment in numerous sport focused programs. This paper questions these assumptions and outlines some of the challenges inherent with an emphasis on sport as a solution to Indigenous disadvantage. We highlight how participation in sport has often been tied to ambitious, ill-defined and, in terms of evaluation, often elusive social outcome goals. Second, we also argue that there is limited research to indicate that participation in either elite or grassroots level sport has led to any discernible social progress in addressing inequality. We contrast historical Indigenous participation in a range of sporting codes to demonstrate the influence of factors beyond the ‘natural ability’ and ‘born to play’ propositions. Finally, we outline six ‘perils’ associated with viewing sport as a panacea; including how privileging sport can not only perpetuate disadvantage by reinforcing stereotypes and also contribute to a diversion of attention and resources away from other approaches that have been proven to have a greater positive social impact.

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Tennis West's Reconciliation Action Plan (2021–2025) outlines its commitment to creating more inclusive opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in tennis. The plan highlights programs such as the National Indigenous Tennis Carnival, Indigenous coaching pathways, and community engagement initiatives. For Tennis Queensland, these commitments guide the development of programs at the state level, ensuring alignment with national goals. This source demonstrates that organisational analysis must consider how Tennis Queensland operationalises these strategies to create meaningful, culturally safe, and lasting opportunities for First Nations athletes.

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Wheeler, Phillips, and Osmond (2023) explore how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have historically engaged with sport, often using it as a way to maintain culture and resist exclusion. The authors introduce the idea of “sporting literacy,” showing how Indigenous communities navigated colonial structures while keeping their own agency. Their examples highlight the importance of recognising this history in shaping today’s programs. For Tennis Queensland, the study shows why it is essential to embed Indigenous perspectives and acknowledge past barriers when developing First Nations initiatives.

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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sport: Sporting Literacy, Attenuated Agency, and Survivance

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In Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have a long history of involvement in Western sports. Many of these physical activities emanated originally from Britain, Europe, and the…

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Grassroots beginnings with the Western Rivers Cup

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Grassroots beginnings with the Western Rivers Cup

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The Western Rivers Cup started in 2014 as a community-led event in South West Queensland and quickly became an entry point for First Nations kids into tennis. Later program pages note the partnership with Tennis Queensland, the focus on the 12–17 age group, and links to training and equipment support in regional towns. The Cup is historically significant because it predates national initiatives and demonstrates how Queensland’s pathway was established through local relationships, then connected to state and national carnivals.

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The inaugural National Indigenous Tennis Carnival (NITC) in 2018 established a national focal point for Indigenous tennis. Launched on Larrakia Country with Evonne Goolagong Cawley, the Carnival brought youth from every state and territory together for culture and competition. For Queensland, the NITC became the pinnacle of the state pathway: local events, such as the Western Rivers Cup and the Cairns Indigenous Tennis Carnival, feed into Queensland team selection for Darwin. This piece helps date the pathway’s national framing and shows how state programs connect to Tennis Australia’s broader vision.

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National Indigenous Tennis Carnival underway in Darwin

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Evonne Goolagong Cawley was on-site at Darwin International Tennis Centre to greet arriving participants for the Carnival.

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The Australian Tennis Foundation explains how its First Nations Tennis Programs deliver opportunities in some of the country’s most remote communities. The programs provide coaching, equipment, and resources tailored for cultural relevance, while also training local staff to support long-term participation. Importantly, they connect grassroots players to pathways such as the National Indigenous Tennis Carnival. For Tennis Queensland, this framework demonstrates how national programs can be adapted at the state level to promote inclusion, increase participation, and support Indigenous athletes across Queensland.

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First Nations Tennis Programs | What We Do | Australian Tennis Foundation | About Tennis Australia | Tennis Australia

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Using tennis as a vehicle to help increase the health and wellbeing of First Nations young people in some of Australia’s most remote communities. Jintangka Kamparru…

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This review synthesises what helps and hinders sport for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people. Common issues include access and transportation, program costs, limited local facilities, and a lack of culturally safe environments. Enablers include family support, strong role models, and programs designed with community input. For Tennis Queensland, these factors directly affect junior engagement and retention. Subsidies, local delivery (or travel support), and visible First Nations leadership can shift outcomes from one-off participation to steady involvement and pathway progression.

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Barriers and facilitators of sport and physical activity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and adolescents: a mixed studies systematic review - BMC Public Health

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Background Participation in sport and physical activity could minimise the inflated risk of poor physical health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and adolescents. This review aimed to synthesise existing quantitative and qualitative literature regarding barriers and facilitators to physical activity and sports participation in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. Methods Literature was systematically searched to include studies reporting barriers or facilitators to physical activity and/or sports participation in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged 0–18 years. Using a pre-established taxonomy based on the social-ecological model, a deductive analysis was performed. Quality appraisal was performed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Results Of 3440 unique articles, nine studies were included with n = 10,061 total participants. Of the nine included studies one reported on participants from urban areas, two from regional and three from remote areas. Three were from representative samples of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population. Barriers were reported in all nine studies: 18 individual, 9 interpersonal, 27 community and 4 at the policy level (58 total); Facilitators were reported in five studies: 12 individual, 11 interpersonal, 11 community and 3 policy level (37 total). Conclusions Research in this area is lacking with some states in Australia not represented and small samples. Strategies for improving participation in sport and physical activity by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and adolescents need to integrate a comprehensive identification of barriers and facilitators with a social-ecological understanding of how community and cultural factors can impact individual participation.

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Davidson et al. (2024) examine the experience of physical activity from the perspective of Indigenous children in Australia, as perceived by their parents. They emphasise that sport often carries symbolic weight, creating identity, nurturing family and community ties, and offering cultural grounding. At the same time, participation is limited by structural challenges, such as limited club access, transportation, and affordability. This highlights key lessons for Tennis Queensland's youth programs: to foster long-term involvement, initiatives must be culturally meaningful while also addressing real-world access issues.

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‘He wants to play football but not available here … ’ Parent perspectives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child physical activity and sport participation

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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children have higher physical activity participation levels than non-Aboriginal children. However, this trend reverses in adulthood. Data came from the Longitu…

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Systematic review of barriers & facilitators

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Systematic review of barriers & facilitators

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Allen et al. (2021) conducted a comprehensive review of both qualitative and quantitative studies to identify factors that help or hinder sport and physical activity among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults. They found that family and community support, cultural connection, and strong program staff are primary enablers. On the other hand, barriers include cost, transport issues, time constraints, and competing cultural or work demands. For Tennis Queensland, this indicates that successful First Nations programs must address practical obstacles and foster cultural connections and social support to enhance engagement and retention.

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Facilitators and Barriers to Physical Activity and Sport Participation Experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Adults: A Mixed Method Review

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Physical activity has cultural significance and population health benefits. However, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults may experience challenges in participating in physical activity. This mixed methods systematic review aimed to synthetize existing evidence on facilitators and barriers for physical activity participation experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults in Australia. The Joanna Briggs Institute methodology was used. A systematic search was undertaken of 11 databases and 14 grey literature websites during 2020. The included studies reported physical activity facilitators and barriers experienced by Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander participants aged 18+ years, living in the community. Twenty-seven studies met the inclusion criteria. Sixty-two facilitators were identified: 23 individual, 18 interpersonal, 8 community/environmental and 13 policy/program facilitators. Additionally, 63 barriers were identified: 21 individual, 17 interpersonal, 15 community/environmental and 10 policy/program barriers. Prominent facilitators included support from family, friends, and program staff, and opportunities to connect with community or culture. Prominent barriers included a lack of transport, financial constraints, lack of time, and competing work, family or cultural commitments. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults experience multiple facilitators and barriers to physical activity participation. Strategies to increase participation should seek to enhance facilitators and address barriers, collaboratively with communities, with consideration to the local context.

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Embedding Cultural Voices in Tennis Pathways

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Embedding Cultural Voices in Tennis Pathways

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Tennis Australia’s First Nations Engagement Guide provides practical steps to integrate Indigenous perspectives in sport programs through co-design, Elders’ involvement and visible cultural recognition at events (Tennis Australia, 2021). For Tennis Queensland, adopting these strategies can move engagement beyond participation into leadership development. Expanding opportunities for Indigenous coaches, volunteers, and administrators ensures that cultural perspectives shape decision-making, not just program delivery. This integration also builds community trust and increases long-term retention, reinforcing tennis as a culturally safe and accessible sport.

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National Alignment and Shared Decision-Making

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National Alignment and Shared Decision-Making

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The National Agreement on Closing the Gap (2020) outlines four priority reforms, including shared decision-making and strengthening community-controlled organisations. Applied to Tennis Queensland, this means formal partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations, co-ownership of evaluation processes, and transparent reporting of participation outcomes. Such alignment transforms tennis from running one-off programs to embedding cultural perspectives into core operations. In the long run, this supports athlete wellbeing, builds sustainable player pathways, and positions tennis as a leader in reconciliation across Australian sport.

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At a glance

The objective of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap (the National Agreement) is to enable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and governments to work together to overcome the inequality experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and achieve life outcomes equal to all Australians.

For the first time, the National Agreement has been developed in genuine partnership between Australian governments and the Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peak Organisations (the Coalition of Peaks).

The expertise and experience of the Coalition of Peaks and its membership have been central to the commitments in this National Agreement. So too has the feedback from the extensive engagements in 2019 with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across Australia. A summary of what was heard from the engagements and how it was incorporated into the National Agreement is available.

The views and expertise of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, including Elders, Traditional Owners and Native Title holders, communities and organisations will continue to provide central guidance to the Coalition of Peaks and Australian governments as the National Agreement is implemented.

The Partnership is grateful for the assistance of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) and the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) in developing the National Agreement. The AIHW led a number of workshops to assist the Partnership Working Group to consider and develop the target framework, developed trajectories to inform decisions about the level of ambition for different target areas, and provided technical advice on the targets, indicators and data availability. The ABS provided data and technical advice for targets and indicators.

All parties to the National Agreement acknowledged the need for it to be a flexible, "living" document, working with the best evidence as it becomes available.

This is the current version of the National Agreement, as agreed by Joint Council. The original, signed National Agreement is available on the Resources page.

Any Joint Council agreed changes to the timeframes for delivery of commitments in the National Agreement are reflected in the comments in the Implementation Tracker.

Priority Reforms

At the centre of the National Agreement are four Priority Reforms that focus on changing the way governments work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The Priority Reforms will:

Strengthen and establish formal partnerships and shared decision-making

Build the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled sector

Transform government organisations so they work better for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

Improve and share access to data and information to enable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities make informed decisions.

See the Priority Reforms here
Outcomes and targets

The National Agreement on Closing the Gap (the National Agreement) has 19 national socio-economic targets across 17 socio-economic outcome areas that have an impact on life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Outcomes are the desired result for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Targets are specific and measurable goals that will be monitored to show how progress is being made across each of the outcome areas. Under each of the targets there are indicators that help to provide an understanding of how progress will be tracked.

The National Agreement includes areas for data development actions. These are areas that are important for our understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander outcomes but cannot be measured currently.
See the Targets here
Implementing the National Agreement

An Implementation Tracker has been developed to help track progress for each Party to the National Agreement on delivering against the commitments in the National Agreement. Any Joint Council agreed changes to the timeframes for delivery of commitments in the National Agreement are reflected in the comments in the Implementation Tracker.

Each party to the National Agreement developed their own Implementation Plan, and will report annually on their actions to achieve the outcomes of the Agreement.

Implementation plans have been developed with Aboriginal and Torres Strait partners.

Each implementation plan sets out how policies and programs are aligned to the National Agreement and what actions will be taken to achieve the Priority Reforms. They include information on funding and timeframes for actions.

The Joint Council will review implementation plans and may provide advice on how the parties can better work together to achieve shared outcomes. This includes where progress against the Priority reforms and targets is not on track.
See the Implementation Plans here See the Implementation Tracker here
Accountability and reporting

The Productivity Commission has published a dashboard comprising data and associated supporting materials on progress towards the targets. The dashboard will be updated on a regular basis (at a minimum, annually) and will be maintained for the full term of the National Agreement.

In addition to the dashboard, the Productivity Commission will complete a comprehensive, independent review of progress every three years. This review will provide an analysis of progress towards the Priority Reforms, targets, indicators and trajectories. It will also examine the factors contributing to progress by drawing on evaluations and other evidence.

For the first time, there will be Independent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led reviews within twelve months of each independent review by the Productivity Commission. These reviews are an opportunity to better understand Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' experiences of change as a result of this National Agreement.

The Joint Council will provide an annual update on progress toward achieving the National Agreement to the parties to the Agreement.

The Commonwealth, states and territories, local governments and the Coalition of Peaks share accountability for the implementation of the National Agreement and are jointly accountable for the outcomes and targets under the National Agreement.
See the Productivity Commission Dashboard

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National Agreement on Closing the Gap | Closing the Gap

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The objective of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap (the National Agreement) is to enable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and governments to work together to overcome the inequality experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and achieve life outcomes equal to all Australians.

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The health sector has embedded cultural safety as a professional standard, guided by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders. AHPRA’s national strategy links cultural safety to accreditation, training, and accountability, ensuring it becomes a core requirement rather than an optional extra. For sport, this offers a valuable lesson: Tennis Queensland could set cultural safety expectations for coaches, officials, and clubs, backed by education and regular reporting. Applying a standards-based model makes inclusion measurable and sustainable, shifting it from token initiatives to part of everyday practice.

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australian health practitioner regulation agency

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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Strategy

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Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency

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The Indigenous Marathon Foundation shows how sport can drive change when it is community-led. The program develops runners as role models who also complete health education and leadership training, with many returning to lead initiatives in their own communities. Reports highlight outcomes beyond participation, including confidence, employment, and community wellbeing. For Tennis Queensland, this model shows the importance of building pathways for Indigenous players also to become coaches and leaders. Supporting alums to deliver programs locally would strengthen impact and ensure long-term engagement.

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Canada: Building Sport Through Indigenous-Led Partnerships

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Canada: Building Sport Through Indigenous-Led Partnerships

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This report reviews Indigenous-led sport and recreation programs across Canada, showing how community control and partnerships create culturally safe and sustainable opportunities. It highlights the value of Indigenous leadership and strength-based approaches that build on local priorities rather than imposing external agendas. For Tennis Queensland, the lesson is to support community-led design and delivery while linking programs into wider state pathways. Doing so would strengthen trust, ensure cultural relevance, and help create lasting participation and leadership opportunities in tennis.

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Funding to Grow Indigenous Tennis Programs

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Funding to Grow Indigenous Tennis Programs

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World No.1 Ash Barty and the Australian Tennis Foundation committed AUD $115,000 over three years to support Indigenous tennis programs across Queensland. This investment helped deliver coaching, equipment, and opportunities for young First Nations players in regional communities such as Cairns and Toowoomba. For Tennis Queensland, this demonstrates how partnerships between national bodies and high-profile ambassadors can open doors. It’s a reminder that resources and visibility can go hand-in-hand to create pathways, inspire participation, and build stronger futures for Indigenous players.

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Ash Barty and the Australian Tennis Foundation serve up $115,000 for Indigenous programs

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The Australian Tennis Foundation will provide funding support to Indigenous programs in Queensland over the next three years.

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The Cairns Indigenous Tennis Carnival, along with lead-in events under the Western Rivers Cup, provides young First Nations players with more than match play. These gatherings combine tennis with cultural connection and community pride. Tennis Queensland CEO Anthony White says, “The carnival is a fantastic opportunity for kids to be introduced to tennis and develop new skills". By blending competition with culture, the events encourage participation and show how tennis can become a welcoming space for Indigenous communities.

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Queensland prepares for upcoming National Indigenous Tennis Carnival with local lead-in events

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First Nations tennis players have been aiming to follow in the footsteps of proud Indigenous tennis ambassadors Ash…