It’s not just more women Tasmania local governments needs, it’s diversity as a whole, Local Government Association of Tasmania chief executive Katrena Stephenson says.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
In the 2014 local government elections, 50 per cent of mayors were women and about one third of councillors were women.
“We have certainly seen some shift over time in the number of women serving in local government, but certainly it’s not a 50-50 balance,” she said.
Of the North’s 90 councillors, just 25 of them are women.
However, in the 2014 local government elections, in every age group women voted more than men.
Ms Stephenson, who has been involved in local government for more than 10 years, said there were generally some barriers, including for women and younger people.
“As a sector we need to talk about how to get over those. There are barriers for people who have full-time jobs, which is why we have an age profile that is slanted towards older people,” she said.
“It’s a full-on commitment to become a councillor and people are going to not find that commitment easy at all times of their life.”
More education is one solution to get more diversity into local councils, she believes.
“It makes people understand the importance of council and it might make them think about the importance of running for council,” she said.
“It’s things like mentoring programs and the information sessions that LGAT ran earlier this year to explain the role, all those things become important. It’s about going in with your eyes wide open.”
One of the North’s female mayors Christina Holmdahl, from West Tamar Council, was motivated to run for local government because she wanted to make where she lived a better place.
“I actually started by getting involved in lobbying for funding for the West Tamar Highway, just as a citizen,” she said.
“Out of a rally, that I organised, that 500 people turned up to at the Exeter Showground, I got $3 million from the then-Infrastructure Minister Bryan Green to fix the Supply River section of the highway.
“I thought ‘I think I can make a contribution here, so I’m going to put my hand up’, so I did.”
She admits it has not always been easy.
“A lot of the time women are seen as a threat and sadly those who perceive you as a threat, which in many cases is completely unjustified, the only way they can deal with it is a level of aggressiveness,” she said.
“I have been spoken to in council in a way that no other councillor or mayor or manager has been spoken to … I’m always very polite. I don’t think you achieve anything by being nasty back.
Cr Holmdahl said she had been a strong advocate for young women to get into local government.
“The biggest problem is, that the younger women who are really interested and really wanted to contribute, when they found out what was involved they said it’s not the right time,” she said.
“But if you’re asking me if I’m for more women, you bet.”
George Town’s mayor Bridget Archer first stood for local government when she was fairly new to the area and felt it would be a good way to meet people and connect with the community.
“It has been a great way to do those things,” she said.
“I have met some fantastic people and have had the opportunity to connect with many groups in the community.
“I strongly believe that it is important to have representative local government and that diversity is a key part of that. Our community is made up of people from many walks of life: men, women and children and reflecting that in decision making is important for shaping our communities.”
Cr Archer said becoming a mayor had been a “very steep” learning curve, and at times “enormously challenging”.
“I have learned so much in the role about so many things, but I have also learned a lot about myself,” she said.
“It has made me a stronger, more resilient person and a more agile and strategic thinker. I have developed more confidence in myself and a greater understanding of what motivates others.”
Cr Archer has raised three of her five children in the council chamber.
“As an elected member there is no maternity leave, for example, and I have been at the council table each time within days of giving birth. I have been both questioned and criticised about how I will ‘cope’ with balancing family and council responsibilities,” she said.
“I have been accused of showing disrespect to my colleagues and the community by breastfeeding my baby at the council table.”
While she admits it has been hard sometimes, she felt she had a responsibility to make it easier for the women that follow and to show other young women that being in local government is something they can, and should, do.
“I would encourage anyone to consider standing for local government if you want to make a real difference in shaping the community in which you live,” she said.
“It is challenging but also very rewarding and a great privilege. You can help make your community a better, more inclusive place to live.”