As South Australian councils grapple with a gender imbalance in their teams, a woman councillor says females can make better elected members than males.
Australian Community Media reviewed gender ratios in councils in its newspaper and online circulation areas and found the scales were tipped towards men.
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In Port Pirie Regional Council, Cr Kendall Jackson would like to see greater representation by women considering there are two women to seven men, including the mayor, a pattern repeated in several local government areas.
Around the state, there were 42 women elected members compared with 116 men elected members - a ratio of almost 3:1 in favour of males. There is only one female mayor - at Naracoorte.
Cr Jackson agreed with suggestions that women could make better councillors because they were more collegiate and inclusive.
"I can see why women may be hesitant to join local government," she said.
"In everyday life, women doubt themselves and their abilities which is a shame.
"Some women have queried why a person might be interested in local government ... because you are more in the spotlight in these positions.
"Unfortunately, it is a role where you do at times need a thick skin.
"At times it puts women off. They cannot be bothered by that.
"There would be a lot of women contenders if they give it a go to realise they would make very good councillors." Gender ratios:
- Victor Harbor Times area:
- City of Victor Harbor - three women/six men
- Yankalilla District Council - one women/eight men
- Alexandrina Council - four women/eight men
- Port Pirie Recorder area:
- Port Pirie Regional Council - two women/seven men
- Port Augusta Transcontinental area:
- Port Augusta City Council - five women/five men
- Naracoorte Herald area:
- Naracoorte Lucindale Council - two women/eight men plus female mayor
- Border Chronicle (Bordertown) area:
- Tatiara District Council - four women/seven men
- The Islander area:
- Kangaroo Island Council - two women/seven men
- Murray Valley Standard (Murray Bridge) area:
- Rural City of Murray Bridge - two women/eight men
- Mid Murray Council - three women/seven men
- Coorong District Council - four women/five men
- Port Lincoln Times area:
- Port Lincoln City Council - four women/five men
- Cleve District Council - nil women/seven men
- Ceduna District Council - one woman/eight men
- Lower Eyre Peninsula District Council - two women/five men
- Streaky Bay District Council - two women/six men
- Elliston District Council - two women/six men
- Tumby Bay District Council - two women/three men
Cr Jackson, who has been on council for eight years, said she would renominate at the November local government elections, but would not stand for mayor.
"I would love there to be a day when we had a female mayor," she said.
"But our mayor is doing a really good job. His communication between councillors is very good ... if we had a mayor who didn't do all those things, then I would consider standing."
Among the council areas surveyed, only one had a woman mayor - Erika Vickery, of Naracoorte Lucindale Council.
Ms Vickery has spent 22 years in local government.
Port Augusta City Council struck a blow for equality with an even split of five women and five men in civic leadership roles.
Cleve District Council was some distance behind that ratio with nil women councillors and seven men as elected members.
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Naracoorte Lucindale's Mayor Vickery said councillors made life more "liveable".
"This is what drives me. Councils are their community, so that means we need a greater diversity of people who put their hand up and nominate ... that includes more women to stand," she said.
She said four women mayors were in office on the Limestone Coast - Lynette Martin (Mount Gambier), Alison Nunan (Robe), Kay Rasheed (Kingston) and Ms Vickery.
Greg Mayfield
As editor, I am responsible for 11 mastheads around the state. I have more than 45 years' experience in newspapers and digital platforms. I am lucky to have an enthusiastic and dedicated team of journalists working with me.
As editor, I am responsible for 11 mastheads around the state. I have more than 45 years' experience in newspapers and digital platforms. I am lucky to have an enthusiastic and dedicated team of journalists working with me.
