A campaign calling for 700 women to stand in the Victorian local government elections is making its final dash as Election Day, on October 27th, looms.
Coucnillor Samantha Dunn, President of the Victorian Local Governance Association (VLGA) which is leading the State–funded ‘Think women for local government 2012’ campaign, said the aim was to get women to stand in 90 percent of wards.
“We’re in the sprint to the local government elections. Women might make up 51 percent of Victoria’s population but we’re only 29.5 percent of local councillors across 78 different municipalities.*
Numbers actually went down at the 2008 elections and no women stood in a quarter of wards and subdivided municipalities. If the electorate is subdivided or multi–member, more women need to stand otherwise the chances of even one woman getting elected are slim,” she said.
“In the lead–up to the 2012 elections, it’s sobering to note that there are five local governments with no women councillors at all and 14 with only one woman on board. This time round, we’re determined to narrow the gap with women candidates to 10 percent; it’s a big ask but women have big things to offer.”
Cr Dunn said that women elected hovered around 27 percent across most of Australia, with NSW going to the polls in early September, with a surprisingly low representation of only 26.6 percent.
“There’s a long way to go before women get within cooee of equality in local government,” she said. “We’ve spoken to hundreds of women across Victoria at more than a dozen forums and each and every one has been adamant that that the biggest stumbling block is women’s lack of confidence.”
At the media launch of the campaign, Jeanette Powell, Minister for Local Government, admitted that she herself had underestimated her own skills.
“I served as a councillor for four years prior to council amalgamations and, when I was asked if I’d apply for a commissioner position, my immediate response was I didn’t have the experience. I was then told that 500 men who didn’t know what they were doing had applied!”
Mary Wooldridge, Minister for Women’s Affairs, who also spoke at the launch, said it was vital that women stand so voters have a choice.
“When you have a balance of representation between men and women in boards and councils, better decisions get made,” she added.
Cr Dunn stressed that local government offered great opportunities to get things done for the community as well as develop personally.
“Being a councillor is volunteering with benefits. It’s also the equivalent of a practical MBA, not to mention a stepping stone to other levels of government, business and public life,” she said.
Twelve female MPs in the current Victorian Parliament have served as councillors or commissioners. Nominations close 25 September.
A Gender Agenda, a video produced by the VLGA, has screened twice on Channel 31 in Melbourne and can be viewed on
YouTube: thinkwomenlg.org.au/
*Note: Brimbank City Council is under administration until 2015 and has no councillors.
