Prime Minister Scott Morrison has committed to ensuring medal-winning Australian Paralympians receive the same financial rewards as their Olympic peers.
Morrison made the announcement during Thursday's question time, declaring the federal government would offer "additional support to Paralympics Australia" by ensuring those who won medals at the Tokyo Paralympics received "equivalent payments to our Olympics medallists".
While Australia’s Olympic Committee hands out medal bonuses of $20,000 for gold, $15,000 for silver and $10,000 to bronze medal winners, previously Paralympics Australia simply didn't have the funding to reward medal-winning athletes.
However, Morrison has committed to ensuring equal payments for Olympics and Paralympic medalists.
"Like their Olympic counterparts, Paralympians often have to make major sacrifices in their lives, foregoing family and work to train and compete nationally and internationally," a statement from the Prime Minister and Sports Minister Richard Colbeck read.
"The Morrison government is committed to working with Paralympics Australia and other national sporting bodies to grow corporate sponsorship for para-sports.
"This additional commercial revenue could ensure Paralympics Australia can sustainably make medal bonus payments to athletes at future Paralympics."
With the Paralympic Games due to wrap up in four days' time, Australia currently sits eighth on the medal tally with 13 gold medals but ranks sixth for total medals with 60 (13 gold, 23 silver, and 24 bronze).
The issue of equal funding has been raised throughout this year's games after the United States decided to introduce pay parity for their medal-winning Olympic and Paralympic athletes for the first time ever in Tokyo.
Canada is another major nation that in the past haven't rewarded medal-winning athletes in the Paralympics, while hosts Japan give out a cash prize that is significantly less than what they offer their Olympic athletes.
