Boost In Women On Council Worth Celebrating

22 November 2020

The election of four women to Mayoral posts across the G21 region is something to celebrate, Local Federal MP Libby Coker has said.

Councillors Libby Stapleton, Kate Hanson, Helena Kirby, and Stephanie Asher were all elevated to the top council seat following local government elections in October.

Ms Coker said it was fantastic to see in addition to the overall increase in female representation across the G21 region.

We still have work to do to meet the State Government target of 50/50 representation across our region, the Corangamite MP said.

But weve taken significant steps towards that goal. Prior to last months elections only 25 per cent of local councillors were women. That figure has now risen to 35 per cent.

The Surf Coast Shire Council leads the way, with five out of nine of councillors elected being women.

Women in Local Democracy (WILD) Convenor, Jeni Wills, said she congratulated all the candidates, elected councillors, and the newly elected women mayors.

The results are really encouraging. It put us in good stead as we look to the next local council elections in 2024, Ms Wills said.

Over the next four years, WILD is committed to working with current councillors and the local community to try and encourage as many as women as we can to nominate for the next election.

Ms Coker is a former councillor and Mayor. She was first elected to Surf Coast council in 2008 and served as Mayor between 2009 and 2010, and again from 2012 to 2013.