Bid to end council boys’ clubs

There’s a perception issue that local government is male, pale and stale and the Lord Mayor has certainly said that previously, so it is about breaking down those barriers — KRISTIE JOHNSTON

PRESSING for more women in politics, Tasmanian local government representatives have launched the 2018 WomenCan Campaign to coincide with International Women’s Day.

Tasmanian branch President of the Australian Local Government Women’s Association Dr Katrena Stephenson, Clarence Alderman Debra Thurley, and Glenorchy Mayor Kristie Johnston launched the campaign yesterday.

Cr Thurley said the WomenCan campaign aligns with this year’s theme for International Women’s Day: Press for Progress.

“The ... WomenCan Campaign is about motivating friends, family, colleagues and communities to think, act and be gender inclusive,” she said.

The campaign aims to raise awareness of the October local government elections.

“It’s really more about attracting diversity around the table, so if there are 50 per cent women in a population, it is quite wise to have 50 per being their voice.”

Cr Thurley said the campaign was still as important today as it was when it was created in 1951.

Cr Johnston said it was important for women to stand up and be counted when it came to local government.

“Local government is a really grassroots level of government and there’s so much that women can contribute,” she said.

“There’s a perception issue that local government is male, pale and stale and the Lord Mayor has certainly said that previously, so it is about breaking down those barriers.”

Local Government Association of Tasmania chief executive Katrena Stephenson said more diverse councils would be more effective.

“There is a lot of research that shows where you have diverse boards, you get better quality decision making,” she said.

Dr Stephenson said there were fewer women than men at all levels of politics and institutional changes could help make local government more accessible to women.

“Councils are actively working to improve the way they can support councillors to make it easier for them to manage the workload.

“If we had a broader understanding and support from employers, like they do around volunteering, to release people to attend council duties that would certainly go a long way.”

Dr Stephenson said data showed 30 per cent of mayors and 28 per cent of councillors were women.

“We would like to see these numbers grow significantly in the future.”