A male-only Newcastle tennis club has voted to allow female members after public pressure over its "sexist" membership rules.
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Members of Adamstown Rosebud Tennis Club, which operates the suburb's council-owned courts under an agreement with City of Newcastle, voted unanimously last weekend to change its constitution.
In an email to the council and club members, club secretary Phil Baker said members had voted at a special general meeting on Saturday to admit women "who have the same status, rights and obligations as male members".
The wording of the resolution mirrors an ultimatum from City of Newcastle that the club alter its constitution or lose access to the courts.
Mr Baker's email says the changes will take effect once the new constitution is registered with the NSW Department of Fair Trading.
The Newcastle Herald reported five weeks ago that the club had been resisting pressure to change its gender-based membership rules since leading Newcastle women's player, coach and Adamstown local Emma Pollock complained to the council late last year.
Tennis Australia said at the time that it had been working with the council and club to address an "unacceptable situation" which breached the anti-discrimination elements of its member protection policy.
Newcastle District Tennis Association president Ellen Gordon also condemned the club's "sexist" gender bias.
Saturday's member vote marks a dramatic change in direction for the club since Mr Baker wrote to City of Newcastle in late June arguing the council was being "unfair and possibly discriminatory" in seeking to change the gender rules.
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