Female Candidates Express Solidarity

The macho environs of the Aldermen’s Room in Hobart Town Hall were transformed last night as a host of female politicians – both seasoned veterans and first-time candidates – gathered to discuss the benefits of having more women in leadership roles at a community level.

Women in Local Government, an event timed to coincide with this week’s ALGWA conference was the brainchild of Hobart City Council Alderman Helen Burnet. “For a long time I have wished that we had equal representation of the sexes in local government,” says Alderman Burnet. “I also know what a challenge it can be to run for the first time, so I wanted to organise this soiree to allow female candidates to meet and learn from experienced female politicians.”

“I was delighted how eager these seasoned pollies were to share their wisdom as well as war stories of the challenges they have faced in council.” The new candidates received more than just expressions of solidarity from their more experienced counterparts, Alderman Burnet notes, “They got practical, concrete advice that they can now take on board in their campaigns.”

A non-partisan affair, this event drew politicians from across the political spectrum. “I wanted to emphasise that equal representation is not a Left/Right issue. Whatever our political affiliations, I think that those in attendance all agreed that our community is better served when we have equal representation of the sexes at a leadership level.”

The centrepiece of the evening was an open discussion in which various invited guests spoke incisively about their experiences. “Females still hold only about 27 percent of elected roles in local government, and much of the discussion centred on the prejudice that female politicians continue encounter, both from their aldermanic colleagues and a public that still sees council as a male-dominated domain.”

“What was grimly apparent from this discussion was the amount of sexism female aldermen still have to face today. Many of the speakers noted that such attitudes required considerable mental and emotional rigor to surmount, but that doing so is an important and valuable endeavour.”

“There is a culture of complacency in many councils, and the injection of new faces with fresh perspectives can be the healthiest of disruptions.”
Allderman Helen Burnet