Rugby League helps Close the Gap
The National Rugby League (NRL) was the first sporting code to officially support Close the Gap, Australia’s largest ever campaign to improve the life expectancy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The partnership with the NRL provides the campaign with an opportunity to promote its message to a much broader Australian audience, while the NRL's participation makes an huge difference to our efforts to achieve Indigenous health equality. The 2011 NRL Close the Gap round was launched in Brisbane on 5 August by the QLD Premier, Anna Bligh, the NRL CEO David Gallop, and many former and current Rugby League superstars.
League legends, Hazem El Masri, David Peachey and Dennis Moran feature in the NRL's 2011 Close the Gap video. This was seen by tens of thousands of people when it was screened at games throughout the Close the Gap Round and associated coverage – and you can watch it here:
- Read more about the Close the Gap campaign
The NRL's involvement in the Close the Gap campaign came on the urging of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players. Although Indigenous Australians make up less than 3% of the population, they make up more than 10% of current NRL players.
Photo: Gold Coast Titans
Gold Coast Titans star and former Indigenous All Stars captain, Preston Campbell talks about why Close the gap is so important.
Read why Close the Gap campaign founder Tom Calma thinks Rugby League’s involvement is important for the campaign.
For the third year running, the NRL dedicated an entire round of the premiership competition to Close the Gap. The Close the Gap round took place from August 5-8, with matches played in Sydney, Newcastle, Melbourne and Brisbane. Games were broadcast on Channel Nine and Fox Sports 2.
The NRL has a series of programs that seek to Close the Gap by improving Indigenous health, and one of the key determinants of health: education. These programs have been introduced in communities within NRL club catchment areas, and funded through proceeds from the first Indigenous All Stars representative match.
The Close the Gap coalition worked closely with the NRL to plan and implement the round, which included:
- Screening of the Close the Gap campaign video at all grounds during half time at games
- Invitations for fans at the grounds and watching broadcasts to pledge their support for the campaign on our website
- Mentions and discussion of the Close the Gap campaign in television broadcasts of all games
- Extensive media and online promotion of the round and Close the Gap campaign
- Close the Gap messaging seen by more than 1.5 million people during the round
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