By Mitchell Clarke
Cardinia Shire is “dragging the chains” when it comes to equal gender representation on council, according to one former female councillor.
Our local results fall short of the state-wide average, which saw a record number of women elected in the 2020 local government elections.
More than 270 women, just three in Cardinia, will take their places on council over the next four year term – representing 43.8 per cent of councillors – marking an Australian first.
The figures also put the state on track towards the State Government’s gender equality strategy to have council’s made up of 50 per cent of women by 2025.
At least 28 elected councillors across the state have identified as being from the LGBTIQ+ community, while six have identified as having an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander background.
“This is an absolutely outstanding result for the people of Victoria. Gender equality and diversity benefits all of us. It makes communities, councils and our state stronger,” Local Government Minister Shaun Leane said.
But former Ranges Ward councillor Leticia Wilmot, who ended her stint on council in 2020, said Cardinia was falling behind.
Incumbent councillor Carol Ryan was successfully elected for another term alongside newcomers Stephanie Davies and Tammy Radford, but of the 41 candidates, only 14 were women.
“Whilst I’m pleased we retained the number of females at three, it is disappointing that the number of successful female candidates didn’t increase to at least four or five,” Ms Wilmot said.
“Only a third of the candidates were female and three of the nine wards had no female candidates so until these numbers change and we have female candidates in all wards and in equal numbers to male candidates we probably won’t achieve equal representation.”
Ms Wilmot said female councillors still encountered a level of “unconscious sexism” within the sector and the community.
“It’s important that all councillors are given the same opportunities, respect and support as each other regardless of their gender,” she said.
“I think it’s very easy for people to believe that council is a boys club when the numbers aren’t equal and you have four male mayors in the one term.
“I would hope that this changes in this term of council and the female councillors are given every opportunity to take on the role of either mayor or deputy mayor.”
A mayor is expected to be elected at the 23 November council meeting.
