Val Schier - Women in Local Government

Monday, 02 November 2009 19:52

Across the 565 councils and shires in Australia, less than 30 per cent of councillors are women, only 20 per cent of senior management roles are filled by women, and a tiny 7 per cent of council Chief Executive Officers are women. We understand that less than a handful of councils actually have women as both mayor and CEO so Cairns region is leading the way into the 2010 Year of Women in Local Government.

Given the number of women in leadership and executive positions in community and non-government organisations - a majority perhaps - it's disappointing that more women do not step forward to be elected representatives to their local councils.

The Federal Government has recently announced that it will provide $490,000 for a range of projects aimed at improving the participation of women in the nation's local government councils and shires. Let's hope that this promotion of women in local government will result in a larger number of women putting their hands up for the next election in 2012.