Local Government Women's Association of New South Wales

The Hon. HELEN WESTWOOD [5.07 p.m.]: The New South Wales Branch of the Australian Local Government Women's Association, or ALGWA as it is known, held its fifty-fifth annual conference a few weeks ago at Brighton-Le-Sands and was hosted by Rockdale council. I attended the conference and had the opportunity to present as part of a panel discussion on "Does being a woman in Government have its advantages?"

ALGWA was primarily established as a support network for women in local government. Since its inception in 1951, the membership base has broadened over the years to include local government employees and other people who are interested or involved in council. The ALGWA is a not-for-profit organisation whose activities are coordinated by a voluntary committee. I wish to congratulate the following women who have been elected to the executive: President, Christine Jeffreys, from Shellharbour council; Secretary, Karen McKeown, Penrith; City Vice-President, Fadwa Kebbe, Canterbury; Country Vice-President, Fiona Rossiter, Orange; and Treasurer, Jennifer Lecky, Muswellbrook. Congratulations also to the executive committee: Darriea Turley, formerly from Broken Hill council; Julie Griffiths, from the United Services Union; Joyce Wheatley, Kiama; Jackie Greenow and Bev Spearpoint, Penrith; Norma Thomas, Richmond River; Gwen Griffith, Gunnedah; Barbra Newton, Parkes; Denise Wilton, Mosman; and Susan Page, from Penrith, who is the immediate past president. As members can see, the executive is representative of women in local government right across New South Wales.

While women make up just over half the population, in New South Wales they are significantly under-represented as councillors and senior managers in local government. Currently in New South Wales only 26 per cent of councillors, 11 per cent of mayors and approximately 14 per cent of senior managers are women. Just 5 per cent of general managers are women. These statistics are hardly representative of our communities, and I would like to recognise ALGWA for the tireless work it does to lift these statistics and for its valued support for women in local government. I only hope that in the upcoming September elections in New South Wales we reflect the success of women in the Queensland local government elections held in March this year.

I would like to inform the House of the Queensland statistics. Of the 480 available councillor positions, female candidates had a higher success rate than their male counterparts, representing 31 per cent of nominations but being elected in 35.4 per cent of the seats. This compares with 70 per cent male councillors and 30 per cent female councillors in 2004. This outcome shows that a record proportion of females were elected as councillors in Queensland in 2008. In the election of mayors, 15 per cent were women.

In New South Wales the Government is proactive on this issue. I am pleased that the Minister for Local Government, the Hon. Paul Lynch, has put in place a number of initiatives to increase representation of women in local government both as elected representatives and senior managers. The Department of Local Government convened two working groups in February this year, one for elected women and one for senior managers. These groups prioritised strategies on how to increase female representation at all levels of local government. A delegation from the working parties then presented the strategies to Minister Lynch and the Minister for Women, Verity Firth.

In other outstanding initiatives for women, Minister Lynch and Minister Firth have jointly established a Ministerial Advisory Council on Women in Local Government. They also recognised government women with an awards program as part of International Women's Day. These awards recognise the outstanding contribution made by women in local government in New South Wales to and for the local government sector. Minister Lynch, Minister Firth and their departments should be applauded, as these are some of the most positive programs implemented for women in local government that I can remember in all the years I have been associated with council.

On 11 March the Ministers announced the winners of these categories at a luncheon held here at Parliament House. The winners were: Candy Nay from Marrickville—staff member of an urban council; Vas Roberts from Narromine—staff member of a rural council; Joyce Wheatley from Kiama—elected representative of an urban council; and Denise Osborne from Greater Hume—an elected representative of a rural council. Great things are happening in our local communities, and hard-working women, who are the silent achievers, are doing a lot. I see the initiatives of Minister Lynch and Minister Firth as a positive way to encourage more women to take on leadership roles in local government and to increase public awareness of the valuable contribution of women to local government in New South Wales.