Abbott hails Diamonds at Parliament House

Self-confessed netball dad Tony Abbott has declared himself a netball prime minister in welcoming the world champion Diamonds to Parliament House.

Young girls and politicians of all stripes gathered on Thursday to welcome the World Cup winners, as Mr Abbott saluted them on their victory over the New Zealand Silver Ferns.

"I've long been a netball dad but today I'm very proud to be a netball prime minister," he told the gathering.

"Women's sport does matter."

Parliament had tried to emulate the champions with their own netball team, the Owls, but they hadn't been as successful against New Zealand, Mr Abbott said.

"You can't trust those Kiwis," he said.

"It was a New Zealand parliamentary team stacked with Silver Ferns."

He warned the Diamonds they might be receiving invitations to apply for preselection, "to improve the quality of the Owls".

Diamonds captain Laura Geitz told the young girls in the crowd to dream big.

"We were just those little bright-eyed girls that had the same dream," she said.