Women interested in running for Council at the upcoming NSW Local Government election are invited to attend a free forum to be hosted by the Australian Local Government Women's Association of NSW (ALGWA NSW).
The forum forms part of a state-wide campaign aimed at encouraging more participation by women in local government ahead of the poll on Saturday 4 September 2021.
The forum will be held at Tweed Heads Administration Office on Tuesday 27 April from 10am - 12pm, immediately prior to the candidate briefing sessions to be hosted by Council later that day.
Penrith City Mayor Karen McKeown and Cr Denise Wilton, a former mayor at Mosman Council, will present at the forum. Both councillors are executive committee members of ALGWA NSW.
Mayor of Tweed Cr Chris Cherry will provide an official welcome at the forum.
The forum is specifically aimed at women considering running for local government election in September and will focus on the process involved, as well as the current situation in NSW and the lived experience of being a councillor.
Tweed General Manager Troy Green said it was crucial women's voices were heard at Council.
"Women should be better represented in the decision-making process of local government and I encourage anyone thinking of running for Council to attend the forum," he said.
"Council deals with the everyday things that make living in the Tweed so good - such as roads, rubbish, water, sewerage, parks, beaches, and the list goes on. The role of councillor therefore requires a significant time commitment and this needs to be considered when making the decision to run for election."
Latest figures from the Office of Local Government show women represent just 31 per cent of the 1300 councillors serving on the State's 128 local councils.
The forum is free of charge, but bookings are limited due to COVID-19 restrictions. Prospective female candidates interested in attending the forum should make a booking at: https://tweedwomensforumalgwa.eventbrite.com.au
To book into a candidate briefing session, visit www.tweed.nsw.gov.au/Elections. Two candidate briefing sessions will be held on Tuesday 23 March at Murwillumbah Civic Centre and two sessions on Tuesday 27 April at Tweed Heads Administration Office. The three-hour sessions will take place from 1pm and repeated again at 5.30pm on each date.
