Latest available figures show that only 37% of mayors and 21% of CEOs across South Australia's councils are women, and just 10% of councils have both a female mayor and CEO.
Barunga West Council stands out by not only having a female mayor, Leonie Kerley, but also being led by its first female CEO, Maree Wauchope, since the council's inception in 1997. Although Ms Wauchope is currently on extended leave due to health reasons, her leadership since her appointment in 2020 has been instrumental in driving meaningful change. Of Barunga West’s nine councillors, four are women.
Minister for Women, Katrine Hildyard, encouraged other councils to follow the lead of those like Barunga West in advancing gender equality.
“It is incredibly important that governing bodies are genuinely representative of the communities they are in,” Ms Hildyard said. “When we have diversity in decision making, better decisions that more accurately reflect community need and aspiration are made.
“I encourage any woman who is passionate about their community to nominate for local government elections. Seeing women in elected positions will only further motivate future generations of women to themselves run for public office or to put themselves forward to participate in our economy and community in whichever way they choose.”
Mayor Leonie Kerley said the significant contributions of female staff and elected members in bringing valuable diversity to Barunga West Council should be celebrated.
“Their skills and perspectives enrich our community and drive meaningful progress," Mayor Kerley said. “This International Women’s Day, we celebrate their achievements and encourage more women to pursue roles in local government to build an even stronger future."
Interim CEO Paul Simpson said that having strong female representation at all levels of council was testament to Barunga West’s commitment to equality and opportunity for all.
International Women's Day (March 8) celebrates the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women's equality.