YOUR SAY: Why are women underrepresented in local government?
THE Wingecarribee has not had an all-male council in more than three decades.
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That could be set to change with the release of the results on Friday, September 16.
Since the 1983 term of Wingecarribee Shire Council there has been a constant representation of women as councillors - always at least one, and sometimes up to three.
Each of the eight groups that ran for council in this year’s election was headed by a man. Three tickets featured women as the second listed candidate, but none of these surpassed the quota needed to ensure a second candidate would take a seat at council.
Grahame Andrews’ number two, High Range woman Jenny Bailey, looks to be the shire’s only hope of female representation among the nine councillors elected.
However, without a strong distribution of preference votes to Andrews’ team, the shire could face a completely male council for the first time in 33 years.
While the all-male cohort will have been elected by the public, the issue is a direct result of a lack of leading females on tickets.
The very composition of the council ballot paper this year demands that this community start asking questions.
Throughout the past four years, in-fighting and personal attacks on councillors – from both each other and the community – has created a divisive response in the community.
While many said enough was enough and raised their hands in an attempt to personally effect change this council election, many more shied away.
The pending results of this 2016 council election are the starting point for an important discussion: why, after three decades of female representation, might this community see what many would consider a clear backwards step in the make-up of its elected members?
Why did community members, particularly women, not feel comfortable to be motivated or compelled to run a ticket this election?
Eight Highlands women have helped to start this conversation – see their comments in the gallery above – and shared their insights as to why women are under represented in local government.
There is much to say on an issue so complex.
What do you think the key issues are? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.