Councils 'moving in the right direction' as more women elected

Jessica Gough, newly-elected councillor on Dubbo Regional Council said things were "moving in the right direction to become equal".

"It's not just about the number of women who can get on, it's also about how we're looked at, the perception and the way we're treated," Cr Gough said.

Women now make up 39.5 per cent of all councillors across NSW - an 8.5 per cent jump on the proportion of women elected in 2016/17.

Cr Gough was one of two new female councillors to be elected onto the Dubbo council in the December 4, 2021 elections. There are now three females on council in Dubbo, the same number as the previous term.

"I'd like to see more women from different backgrounds joining council," Cr Gough said.

The 34-year-old single mum, who runs two businesses in Wellington, said she is the youngest representative on council.

"It just goes to show that if I can do it, anyone can. You just have to put in the hard work. If you want to see things happen, make it happen," Cr Gough said.

Local Government NSW (LGNSW) President Darriea Turley said: "Councils are the closest level of government to their communities, so to ensure everyone has a voice it is important that they reflect the communities they represent.

"The proportion of women on council was stuck between 27 and 31 per cent for nearly a decade, so to make such great progress in a single election is really worth celebrating."

Sixty-nine of 124 councils that held elections in NSW in December now have more women on council than in previous terms.

Twenty-seven councils have a female majority, nearly three times the number in the last council term.

In the lead up to the last council elections, LGNSW joined with the Australian Local Government Women's Association (ALGWA) and the NSW Government to encourage more females to join local government.

Cr Turley said another important contribution to the higher proportion of women standing for council was the introduction of superannuation for mayors and councillors, bringing them into line with the rest of the Australian workforce.

"Lack of superannuation for councillors has been a real disincentive to stand for council, particularly for women, and I'm proud that LGNSW helped put our elected representatives on an equal footing to other workers," Cr Turley said.

"Similarly, our advocacy helped secure childcare for women councillors, as announced by the former Minister at LGNSW's International Women's Day lunch last year.

"These reforms are all about breaking down the barriers to community service, so NSW communities benefit from councils that truly represent them and their needs."