A recent survey by the Local Government Association of South Australia has shown that Councillors devote more than 73 hours a month of unpaid work in fulfilling their Council role. The commissioned survey of elected members also provides an insight into the demographics of South Australian Councillors. South Australia’s 751 Council members devote an average of 73 hours a month to community business. This translates into about 110 working days – or almost half a year – of voluntary service each year.
This is one of the key findings of the survey conducted by Flinders University’s Professor Dean Jaensch.
On this basis Councillors collectively contribute the equivalent of a massive 82,000 working days or 340 years of work across the State every year in representing people, attending meetings, undertaking research and working with Council staff.
The survey paints a positive picture of Councillors, who in South Australia are unpaid – aside from an allowance – for their Council time. In addition, many are also deeply involved in community organisations such as sporting, service, religious, public and political groups. Almost half (367) of the State’s 751 Council members took part in the survey.
Providing a fascinating ‘time slice’ of membership, the research builds on similar work in 1997 and will assist communities, the LGA, Councils and State Government to understand more about the 751 Councillors who volunteer so much time.
The research found that most Councillors (72.6 per cent) are happy receiving an allowance rather than payment for their time but an increasing proportion of metropolitan members want some recompense for time. Most want what is currently equal lowest allowance in Australia (maximum of $6,680 per annum) increased, but only 5.7 per cent thought allowances should be greater than $21,000.
It further revealed that some 80 per cent of Councillors are extremely positive about their Council work and gain enormous satisfaction from assisting the community.
Other findings revealed that 27.7 per cent sought election after being encouraged by existing Councillors, 23.8 per cent responded to requests from friends and 20.1 per cent followed a family tradition.
Most Councillors (82.6 per cent) are married and Australian born (82.2 per cent), while 44.2 per cent are in professional and managerial employment, 37 per cent are self-employed and 28.2 per cent retired. Some 26 per cent of respondents were women – reflecting the 26.6 per cent elected in 2003 – up from 14 per cent elected in 1987.
LGA campaigns to attract younger Councillors will come into further focus with results suggesting members aged 60 years and above rose from 21.3 per cent in the 1997 survey to 43.8 per cent in the 2004 survey. The LGA has asked Professor Jaensch to look at barriers to attracting younger members, including low allowances, and ways of overcoming them – including comparing the age profile with those of State and Federal Parliaments.
The complete Council Members’ Survey results can be found on www.lga.sa.gov.au. 2004 Council Members Survey.
