As South Australian councils grapple with a gender imbalance in their teams, a woman councillor says females can make better elected members than males.
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Australian Community Media reviewed gender ratios in councils in its newspaper and online circulation areas and found the scales were tipped towards men.
Around the state, there were 42 women elected members compared with 116 men elected members - a ratio of almost 3:1 in favour of males.
In Port Pirie Regional Council, Cr Kendall Jackson would like to see greater representation by women considering there are two women to seven men, including the mayor, a pattern repeated in several local government areas.
Cr Jackson agreed with suggestions that women could make better councillors because they were more collegiate and inclusive.
"I can see why women may be hesitant to join local government," she said.
"In everyday life, women doubt themselves and their abilities which is a shame.
"Some women have queried why a person might be interested in local government ... because you are more in the spotlight in these positions.
"Unfortunately, it is a role where you do at times need a thick skin.
"At times it puts women off. They cannot be bothered by that.
"There would be a lot of women contenders if they give it a go to realise they would make very good councillors."
Cr Jackson, who has been on council for eight years, said she would renominate at the November local government elections, but would not stand for mayor.
"I would love there to be a day when we had a female mayor," she said.
"But our mayor is doing a really good job. His communication between councillors is very good ... if we had a mayor who didn't do all those things, then I would consider standing."
Current numbers
ACM took a look at gender ratios in some South Australian regional council areas:
- Victor Harbor Times area:
- City of Victor Harbor - three women/six men
- Yankalilla District Council - one women/eight men
- Alexandrina Council - four women/eight men
- Port Pirie Recorder area:
- Port Pirie Regional Council - two women/seven men
- Port Augusta Transcontinental area:
- Port Augusta City Council - five women/five men
- Naracoorte Herald area:
- Naracoorte Lucindale Council - two women/eight men plus female mayor
- Border Chronicle (Bordertown) area:
- Tatiara District Council - four women/seven men
- The Islander area:
- Kangaroo Island Council - two women/seven men
- Murray Valley Standard (Murray Bridge) area:
- Rural City of Murray Bridge - two women/eight men
- Mid Murray Council - three women/seven men
- Coorong District Council - four women/five men
- Port Lincoln Times area:
- Port Lincoln City Council - four women/five men
- Cleve District Council - nil women/seven men
- Ceduna District Council - one woman/eight men
- Lower Eyre Peninsula District Council - two women/five men
- Streaky Bay District Council - two women/six men
- Elliston District Council - two women/six men
- Tumby Bay District Council - two women/three men
Among the council areas listed, only one has a woman mayor - Erika Vickery, of Naracoorte Lucindale Council, who has spent 22 years in local government.
Port Augusta City Council struck a blow for equality with an even split of five women and five men in civic leadership roles.
Cleve District Council was some distance behind that ratio with nil women councillors and seven men as elected members.
Women on board
Do women make better councillors in South Australia's local government network?
Females are renowned for taking a more collegiate and inclusive approach to decision-making - could this be what councils need?
So far women make up only 35 per cent of elected members so there is scope for improvement.
As a result, women are being encouraged to nominate for the 2022 council elections.
IN OTHER NEWS:
Women Leading Locally - It's Time, is the name chosen by the Australian Local Government Women's Association's South Australian branch for its free information sessions for women who are thinking about nominating.
Branch president Cr Julie Woodman said women were "very under-represented".
"We will encourage more women to run in the November elections and we know that when more women stand up, more women are elected," she said.
"Being a councillor provides an exciting opportunity to make a difference in your local community by making vital decisions that make your area a better place in which to live, work and raise children."
It is time now to think about nominating as a candidate and planning a campaign, according to Cr Woodman.
Nominations will open on August 23 and close on September 6.
The branch will host nine Information sessions around SA and participants will be able to meet female councillors to ask questions.
More information about the branch and its sessions is on the website: www.algwasa.org.au