Overview

Women make a valuable contribution to the local government sector and increase the diversity of decision makers to better reflect the interests and needs of our community.

Local Government Managers Australia statistics indicate women represent only 5% of local government chief executives nationally and, according to Australian Local Government Women's Association figures, in July 2009, women represented only 28.4% of the total number of councillors across Australia.

In response to this low representation, there is a commitment across Australia to a number of initiatives.

Initiatives include:

• the WA Advisory Committee on Women in Local Government "Women in Local Government: Towards a Strong and Sustainable Sector 2009-2012" working paper,
• the Year of Women in Local Government 2010 coordinated by Local Government Managers Australia, and
• the Australian Local Government Women's Association 50:50 Vision a National Program for Gender Equity in Local Government.

This Women in Local Government web page will be periodically updated. Please revisit this page for news on the initiatives moving forward.