LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION

The Hon. J.M. GAZZOLA (15:24): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for State/Local Government Relations a question about the outcome of the Local Government Association presidential elections.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.M. GAZZOLA: As you are aware, women were well represented in the recent Local Government Association presidential election. Indeed, both contenders were women, as was the outgoing president. Will the minister provide more detail on the outcome of the election?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister Assisting the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Energy) (15:24): It is my great pleasure to answer this very important question, in my capacity as both Minister for State/Local Government Relations and also as Minister for the Status of Women. We know that local government nationally is grappling with the issue of under-representation of women both as elected members and in executive positions. South Australia is no exception with women holding only 26 per cent of elected member positions in local government out of 740 positions.

Of the 68 councils, 48 have popularly-elected mayors, and only 10 of those are women. It is a similar picture for managers as well. I hope that the well publicised local government presidential elections will encourage more women to consider making local government part of their future.

The newly elected President of the Local Government Association, the Mayor of Marion, Ms Felicity-Ann Lewis, was officially sworn in by the outgoing president, Mayor Joy Baluch, in late April. Both are very hard-working and committed women, and I would like to acknowledge the great effort of the Mayor of Tea Tree Gully, Mayor Miriam Smith, who made this election a very close contest.

I acknowledge in particular the wonderful work of Mayor Joy Baluch. She was certainly a very interesting character to work with and, although Joy and I did not see eye to eye on everything, nevertheless it was quite an experience working with her and I enjoyed that experience. I look forward to working with the new president in the very constructive relationship that government does have with local government.