As project managers of the Year of Women in Local Government in 2010, Local Government Managers Australia (LMGA) dedicated a series of activities and events to the celebration, promotion and advancement of women in Local Government leadership roles at the its National Congress and Business Expo in Adelaide in May.
These activities included a number of practitioners and elected members taking part in a panel discussion facilitated by Women on Boards Chair, Ruth Medd on how they promote the participation of women in Local Government in their council.
A second panel session was drawn from the LGMA Management Challenge. The three teams deemed to have prepared the best response to the pre Challenge task were invited to present their findings at the Congress.
The presentations by Randwick City Council in New South Wales, the Shire of Mundaring in Western Australia and the City of Boroondara in Victoria were positively received by Congress delegates.
The annual Women in Local Government breakfast is a popular and permanent fixture on the congress calendar. In 2010, it drew a record crowd of men and women from all levels of Local Government.
Along with Ruth Medd, former Federal Minister for Local Government and Minister assisting the Prime Minister for the Status of Women, Margaret Reynolds, provided a keynote presentation.
A Local Government Women’s Leadership Forum was also held during the Congress. Forum participants made the who’s who of Local Government leaders and comprised Chief Executives, Mayors and Local Government Association Presidents.
The forum explored the issues around women’s participation in Local Government and particularly the lack of women in management.
