Gippsland women to benefit from workshops ahead of 2020 elections
Published on 18 July 2019
Baw Baw Shire Council will support the Victorian Local Governance Association (VLGA) to run a free, informative workshop on 6 August 2019 for women across Gippsland who are considering running for local government in 2020.
The workshop will answer questions such as What do Councils do? What is the role of a Councillor? How do I become a candidate and how do I get elected?
Women across Victoria have a significant contribution to make to public life. Their connections to their community, skills and their unique perspectives mean they are rich with potential to be great local Councillors.
Women make up 51 per cent of Victoria’s population – so to be truly representative, they should make up more than 38 per cent of local government councillors in Victoria.
The campaign Local Women Leading Change recognises the important roles that women play in their communities, working with others to achieve positive change.
Baw Baw Shire Council is proud to support the VLGA’s efforts to connect women with the knowledge, skills and contacts to do that on a larger scale – as local government Councillors.
We invite women from across the Gippsland region to participate in this free and informative workshop.
The workshop will take place Tuesday 6 August 2019 at West Gippsland Arts Centre, Warragul.
For more information and to RSVP by 30 July 2019, please visit the VLGA website.
Quotes attributable to Mayor of Baw Baw Shire Cr Mikaela Power
“There are so many amazing women in Gippsland who would be brilliant community advocates, but it can be hard to know where to start when running for council. I’m delighted that the VLGA is helping to remove that barrier with this session. It’s a fantastic initiative and I invite all women considering participation in next year’s Council elections to come along.”
Quotes attributable to Cr Jessica O’Donnell
“Women make up more than half our population, but more than 60 per cent of local government Councillors are men. It’s about time that changed. I applaud the VLGA’s initiative to address this outdated imbalance and I’m proud that Baw Baw Shire Council is throwing its support behind it.”
Quotes attributable to Cr Tricia Jones
“I think it’s important that we empower women of all backgrounds to take up leadership roles in our community. You don’t have to be a career politician or the CEO of a big company to get involved. This session is a welcoming and inclusive opportunity for women of all perspectives and experiences to take that first step.”
Quotes attributable to Baw Baw Shire Council CEO, Alison Leighton
“I am very proud that Baw Baw Shire has a strong track record in gender equity matters and is considered to be a leading Council in this regard. Our municipality is also home to numerous high-calibre female leaders in our community and in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. I would highly encourage these women to consider attending this upcoming information session.”