Parata Stands Down Amid Dame Noeline Furore
Silver Ferns selector Gail Parata has released a statement on her Facebook page, questioning the motivations behind Netball NZ and the Players' Association's decision to stand down Dame Noeline Taurua as head coach.
“Have Netball NZ and the Players’ Association used a minority of player concerns under the banner of “safety” to justify removing one of the most visionary women leaders in sport? If so, this runs far deeper than netball. It signals a wider issue across New Zealand sport. Because if Dame Noeline Taurua isn’t safe, who is? If volunteer and/or career coaches alike walk away, then there goes decades of knowledge, wisdom and heart that New Zealand sport simply can’t afford to lose.”
In September 2025, Netball New Zealand (NNZ) made the surprising decision to stand down Dame Noeline Taurua ahead of the Taini Jamison Series against South Africa, stirring strong reactions across the netball community.
Author's summary: Parata questions Netball NZ's decision to stand down Dame Noeline Taurua.