Nominations have opened for the inaugural Mary Rogers Award, which will recognise the contributions of women in local government across Victoria.
The award is part of $20,000 in government funding for the Victorian Local Governance Association (VLGA) and its work to acknowledge women councillors, raise the profile of women in the sector and highlight the importance of gender equality in local decision making.
The achievement award, announced in August, is named after Victoria’s first woman councillor, Mary Rogers, who was elected to Richmond council in 1920.
Nominations are open for three award categories:
– Mary Rogers Award to be awarded to a current woman councillor for outstanding contributions as a civic leader in Victoria.
– Emerging Woman Leader Award to be awarded to a woman councillor who is demonstrating outstanding leadership in their first term.
– Gender Equality Council Champion Award to be awarded to a council in recognition of their work in supporting women’s participation in local government.
The VLGA will manage the awards process from nominations through to the award ceremony, which will be held at Queen’s Hall at Parliament House later this year.
VLGA chief executive Kathryn Arndt said they are ambitious more women will be elected in future in years to come.
“Our vision is to see 50 per cent of women elected as councillors and mayors by the next local government election in 2028,” she said.
“We know that diversity in the council chamber inevitably leads to strengthened and more informed decision making and good governance and contributes to the prevention of fraud and corruption in local government.”
Nominations close at 5pm on October 24: vlga.org.au/governance-leadership/local-government/mary-rogers-awards
