Victorian women who aspire to become local Councillors are being encouraged to apply for a new program from the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Region’s Local Government Victorian (LGV).
Announcing the LGV’s Women Leading Locally program, Minister for Local Government, Shaun Leane said it would help women develop their leadership skills, provide participants with ongoing mentoring, and equip them with the knowledge and skills needed to run a successful Local Government campaign.
“The program encourages applications from women from the 30 municipalities where women were most under-represented at the 2020 Local Government elections, including Colac Otway, Moira, Pyrenees, Baw Baw, Bass Coast, Glen Eira and Hume,” Mr Leane said.
“To kickstart the program, there will be a series of online and in-person seminars highlighting the valuable work of women leaders across Victoria,” he said.
“Participants will also learn about the Women Leading Locally Fellowship – which is fully funded by the Government and will support 120 women over the next two years to develop the connections and tools they need to campaign as candidates in the next council elections in 2024.”
Mr Leane encouraged women who were Aboriginal, lived with disability or identified as LGBTQI+ to apply.
The Minister said the State had set a target of 50 per cent women councillors by 2025 and at the last Council elections in 2020, Victoria set a national record in electing 272 women, representing 43.8 per cent of Councillors.
He said the LGV program was guided by the Gender Equality Advisory Committee, established in 2021 to advise Government on how to deliver the 2025 target.
Further information on the LGV’s Women Leading Locally Program can be accessed at this PS News link.
