Victoria’s women councillors celebrated the centenary of women being allowed to stand for local government with a special photograph in the historic Melbourne City Council chambers.
More than 70 councillors attended the Melbourne Town Hall, along with the Victorian Local Government Minister the Hon Natalie Hutchins.
Australian Local Government Women’s Association (ALGWA) Victorian President Councillor Coral Ross said that it was wonderful to have so many women councillors in the one chamber.
“We were delighted that so many councillors wanted to celebrate and mark this important milestone.”
An amendment was passed by the Victorian State parliament on November 2 1914, which removed women from the list of groups and people that were ineligible to stand at municipal elections.
The list included bankrupts, those guilty of treason, felons and those of unsound mind.
One hundred years on women make up 34 percent of elected councillors in Victoria, and for the first time there is a woman on every Council.
Currently 38 percent of Victorian Mayors are women.
The event at the Melbourne Town Hall was hosted by the Melbourne City Council and organised by the ALGWA.
Councillor Gwenda Allgood of Ararat Rural City Council was also recognised as the State’s longest ever serving female councillor – more than 31 years.
To recognise the 100th birthday ALGWA has published a book – ‘The Right to Vote; The Right to Stand’.
Written by ALGWA Secretary, and professional historian, Councillor Helen Harris OAM, it also has a comprehensive list of every women elected to local government in Victoria since Mary Rogers was first elected in 1920.
