Still too pale, male and stale

Too many Tasmanian councils are stuck in the past with outdated attitudes and appalling gender inequality in the chambers, explains Mary Duniam

WHEN the Lord Mayor of Hobart labelled elected local government representatives “pale, male and stale” recently, she identified a glaring gender division within councils. Does this matter? Women on councils would probably say it does.

Participation in local government should be based on gender equity, diversity and active citizenship.

However, the fact remains that women’s participation as elected representatives is only around 30 per cent in Tasmania while women comprise almost 50 per cent of Tasmania’s population.

Of the 27 sitting mayors and deputy mayors, women still only represent 30 per cent.

These statistics reflect an Australian and international trend, suggesting women are not proportionally represented in politics and public life.

It is clear from these figures there are not enough women in an elected capacity in local government, a deficit that has gone on for too long. This is a real issue for equality.

The lack of women’s voices in local government is a significant risk to legitimate and healthy democracy.

Women bring experiences and issues to the council table that may otherwise get left behind or ignored.

Despite this imbalance in decision-making (men still making the decisions for women), many women councillors are highly qualified with strong business acumen.

The Victorian Local Government Women’s Charter (2011) states that “local governments, in their capacity as the governments closest to communities, are in a unique position to contribute to the global goal of gender equity for women”.

So how do we explain the absence of women in local government? What are the barriers that hold women back from entering local government in Tasmania?

How do we encourage more to step up to the council plate? Does local government work for women?

Besides the underrepresentation, the figures demonstrate there are several reasons to be concerned.

Firstly, there is a lack of flexibility in the role of councillor, and this works against women.

Women have long been considered the primary domestic carers in families, in particular of children. In Tasmania, there is no formal parental support leave policy in place for councillors (male or female).

Unfortunately, councillor remuneration in Tasmania depends on voter population in the local government area and the revenue of the council. In some cases, it is insufficient to support childcare costs, thereby creating a barrier for women’s representation because of difficulty attending meetings and engaging with the community.

Secondly, there is an issue of incumbency and lack of turnover of councillors. Sitting members tend to be re-elected, making it difficult for women to break through. Term limits for councillors would increase opportunities for new councillors.

Thirdly, there remains an element of a patriarchal society in Australia that renders the role of women to the social aspects of life.

Women have been relegated to the role of looking after the social conscience of society, often at the expense of other decision-making roles, such as economic development to strengthen local democratic governance.

How hard is it for women to step out of their comfort zone, knowing they must display more knowledge, skills, experience and education to gain the same respect as male counterparts at the council table and in the community?

Tasmanian Dame Enid Lyons comes to mind as the supreme example of a woman who cracked the political glass ceiling. In 1943, she became the first woman in Australia to be elected to the House of Representatives. As society expected in those days, Dame Enid was a homemaker, and a mother of 12 children.

The role of women at any level of government has been slow progress indeed. At the current rate of progress, it will be at least another 20 years before Tasmania achieves a local political class that represents the gender-balance of its community in local councils.

Councils do not reflect the diversity of our society, in

How hard is it for women to step out of their comfort zone, knowing they must display more knowledge, skills, experience and education to gain the same respect as male counterparts at the council table and in the community?

particular gender equity. How do we change this?

Women should attend local council meetings to hear the calibre of debate around the council table.

We urgently need to think radically about the role of councillor and look at how being a councillor can be made much more flexible and fit more easily alongside family life and employment.

Local government in Tasmania needs a drastic cultural change, and until the local government sector starts to see women differently and equally, some Tasmanian councils will sadly remain pale, male and stale.

Cr Mary Duniam is the Deputy Mayor of Waratah-Wynyard Council on the North-West Coast and is a PhD student in the Institute for Regional Development at the University of Tasmania.