The Victorian Government has called for more women to consider nominating themselves for council elections in 2012.

 

Officially opening the first Think Women for Local Government 2012 forum, State Local Government Jeanette Powell said through the provision of community support and encouragement for women considering candidacy, the under-representation of women at the local government level could start to be addressed.

 

"In Victoria there are more women than men but fewer than 30 per cent of the state's councillors are female. There are 14 councils with only one female councillor, while a small number of councils are without a female councillor at all," Mrs Powell said.

 

"We are providing $200,000 to fund the Think Women for Local Government 2012 project to encourage women in regional and metropolitan areas to actively consider candidacy at the upcoming council election," State Minister for Women’s Affairs Mary Wooldridge said.

 

"As in all aspects of public life, women add value to local government through their skills, talents and perspectives. Having women councillors adds to the richness of the representation and debate about important local issues."

 

The Victorian Local Governance Association (VLGA) is leading the work to deliver this project, which is funded by the Victorian Office of Women's Policy.

 

Elections for Victoria's 79 local government areas are run every four years and the next elections are scheduled for October 2012.