Among powerbrokers in Australian sport Katie Page and Kate Jones make a potent one-two punch.
As Harvey Norman chief executive and executive director, Katie Page has significant influence across Australian sport and especially rugby league.
And former Queensland Government minister Jones is fully immersed in the rugby league world as an independent commissioner on the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) board.
Together they had an audience spellbound for what became the Katie and Kate show at the recent Warriors in Business luncheon at the Tote on Ascot at Ellerslie Racecourse.
It came just over two months after Harvey Norman signed a barrier-breaking partnership with the One New Zealand Warriors in a commitment to grow and enhance the women’s rugby league in New Zealand through its support of the club’s NRLW side.
Page is well-known for her mission to effect long-term positive change in the lives of girls and women through participation in sport, employment and education.
Harvey Norman’s partnership with the Warriors will establish a purpose-built pathways programme for young girls across the country, in addition to supporting the women’s team and club culture.
The initiative will focus on leadership, skills development and mentoring the next generation of Warriors NRLW players to become strong inspiring leaders within the club and the broader community.
Page was asked why Harvey Norman chose to support the Warriors and what it sees in the sport.
“We were supporting the Warriors a long time ago,” she said.
“I remember coming over here and being interviewed in a room of about 500 business people, government, supporters … it was amazing. And I thought: What a great country, that everyone here is together, they understand rugby league and other sport but they understand community. And it had a powerful effect on me.
“You’ve got this country that works together and wants New Zealand to be better.”
What played a pivotal role in bringing Harvey Norman and the Warriors together was a roundtable luncheon hosted by Harvey Norman and the NRL.
“We had two women from every women’s team (Harata Butler and Emily Curtain from the Warriors) to a lunch at NRL headquarters and Harata attacked me,” said Page.
“She’s your best weapon. She got up and questioned me. What are you doing? And that had a profound effect on me.
“Also the fact that our team of Harvey Norman people here (in New Zealand) have worked with me for a long time and understand our investment in sport, our investment in women in sport.
“One thing I want everyone to understand, which doesn’t come up with NRL as often as it should … everyone wants the Harvey Norman dollar for sport, for sponsorship, but if there is not a female component in it, it goes in the bin.
“How can you have support for just the men and not the women? They’re 50 per cent of your fan base … they’re the women coming through. Look at these wonderful women here who are playing the game. They do not get the support that they should. If I hear one more CEO say: ‘It’s the cost’, I’ll say: ‘Oh, you’re marked off’.
“We’re smart and we know where to invest and (we chose) the Warriors … Harata, understanding for so long and knowing what you represent. You’re authentic, you’re fabulous.
“Cameron George) you’ve got something special here and you’ll fight for those women, I know you will, you’ll fight for the funding and we’re there with you.”
Match: Warriors v Sharks
Round 8 -
home Team
Warriors
7th Position
away Team
Sharks
4th Position
Venue: FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton
ARLC commissioner Jones was enthusiastic about rugby league’s upward trajectory in New Zealand.
“I’m deeply excited about the growth that’s happening here (in rugby league),” she said.
“What you’re doing in New Zealand is brilliant. You look at all the data. Whether it’s the kids playing, the growth in the schools, the quality of the game experiences that the Warriors are putting on, the record number of fans joining, the sell-out crowds you’re having … every metric is ticking off.
“There’s more that we should be doing and can be doing with you to support that growth and it’s going to be key to our growth as a sport.
“I’d rather be on the rugby league commission in a job like this than union right now and that goes to the fact that we have tried to speed the game up, make it accessible, celebrate our women, celebrate our diversity, be the game that talks to all people and be inclusive of all … if we lose sight of that or we lose track of it that’s our undoing.
“That’s why it was really important to be here today and say thank you for the work that you’re doing and there’s more that we should be doing with you as we grow the game here in this country.”
Page also enthused about the strength of the NRL brand.
“NRL understands community. You go to games here and it’s just so powerful. It’s for the people. NRL never loses sight of what their base is,” she said.
“Some of the other sports look at what we’ve done with NRLW and they go: How has that happened? Why aren’t we as good?
“They haven’t invested consistently and been authentic about bringing their women’s teams through. We’ve worked on that for a very long time consistently changing, doing, improving.
“It’s this investment that goes into it continually and they have sponsors like us who are there with them. If you don’t have those sponsors on the same page it makes it pretty hard.”
