‘Breath of fresh air’ blows into chambers
A Taranaki council has three female voices for the first time in nearly a quarter of a century, but they are playing down the change.
Newly elected Amanda Harris and Min McKay have joined Gloria Webby on the Stratford District Council, which was formed in 1989 and last had three women members in 1995.
Harris and McKay are the youngest women ever elected to the council, and Webby, who has been re-elected for her second term, said having them join her was ‘‘hugely exciting’’.
‘‘They are absolutely positive, they are enthusiastic, it is like a breath of fresh air coming in,’’ she said. ‘‘I think the women’s perspective is a good one. It is bringing balance, I think.’’
McKay said having more women was not the most important thing.
‘‘Good representation is not necessarily about a male opinion or a female opinion, it is about a good conversation across the table and all aspects,’’ she said.
‘‘I think it is good to have a good mix of people of different ages and genders purely because it is a better representation of the community.’’
She was excited to be joining the council.
‘‘It is a real honour to be voted on as a councillor in the first place, and there is going to be a different makeup to what has been before. It is pretty cool. Obviously the community wanted us there.’’
Amanda Harris said she was not in favour of having set ratios of men and women on councils, but a diversity of views was good to have.
‘‘I personally believe that everybody brings their own unique perspective whether they are male or female,’’ she said.
‘‘A male has female influences in his life – he will have a wife, a daughter, a mother, they will bring that aspect to the table, but with a woman being on council, it is just more direct.
‘‘You don’t have to have that ratio, you need willing and competent people to be on council. They should not be there by default, they should want to be there and have a qualification the community wants there, that is how the voting system works.’’