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To: the House of Representatives

Student Sports For All Students

We respectfully request that the House of Representatives urge the Government to require Sport NZ to make funding for School Sports NZ conditional on allowing home-schooled domestic students to compete in student sports events.

Why is this important?

We believe every NZ student deserves fair and equal rights to compete in student sports events, including home-schooled students.

School Sports NZ excludes home-schooled students from competing in many local, regional, and national events.

Diverse and inclusive sport is a core principle within Sport NZ's strategy and we believe its funding allocations should uphold this.

In our opinion, student sports should include every NZ student, no matter their legal education path.


๐Ÿ“ฃ Please Sign and Share this Petition! 
Use social media, community groups, and newsletters to spread the word. Thank you!

About Homeschooling 

Home-schooled students in Aotearoa New Zealand are domestic students regulated by Section 38 of the Education and Training Act 2020 and overseen by the Ministry of Education. Home-schooling families are eligible for a Homeschooling Allowance of between $398โ€“$796 per student, per year from the Ministry of Education.  

About HESSA 

The Home Educators Student Sports Association (HESSA) is the national body representing the rights of almost 11,000 home-schooled domestic students to compete in sports across Aotearoa New Zealand. HESSA has a strategic focus on ending the exclusion of home-schooled domestic students from competing in secondary-age student sports in Aotearoa, New Zealand.


Other Actions You May Like to Take 

๐Ÿ‰ Ask Your Sports Club to Support the Cause
Encourage clubs to publicly support inclusion and raise the issue with their governing bodies. 

๐Ÿ‰ Contact National and Regional Sports Code Bodies
Ask them to advocate for policy changes that allow home-schooled domestic students to compete in student sports at all levels. 

๐Ÿ“จWrite to Your Local MP
Personalize your message to explain why inclusion in student sports for home-schooled students matters to you.
Ask them to raise the issue in Parliament or with the Minister of Sport and Sport NZ.

๐Ÿ“จ Write to the Hon Mark Mitchell, Minister of Sport and Recreation
Let him know that you support inclusive student sport and ask him to ensure Sport NZ funding reflects this value. 

๐Ÿ“จ Contact School Sport NZ and Sport NZ
Send respectful emails or letters urging them to review their policies and align with inclusive principles. 

๐Ÿ“จ Engage with Local Councils and Boards of Trustees
Encourage them to support inclusive policies in their local sports events and facilities.  


References
 

How it will be delivered

The petition will be delivered to Parliament by HESSA members Millie Twiss and George Fisher.

Updates

2025-05-07 14:34:03 +1200

1,000 signatures reached

2025-05-06 15:57:11 +1200

500 signatures reached

2025-05-05 22:44:25 +1200

100 signatures reached

2025-05-05 21:06:14 +1200

50 signatures reached

2025-05-05 20:11:08 +1200

25 signatures reached

2025-05-05 19:36:13 +1200

10 signatures reached