Words of wisdom for region's women

Lockyer Valley Mayor Tanya Milligan shares advice for young women in time for International Womens Day.

WE ARE STRONG: Lockyer Valley Mayor, Tanya Milligan, standing at her desk in the Lockyer Valley Regional Council Offices. Picture: Dominic Elsome

"LISTEN to your mum!”

That's the advice Lockyer Valley Regional Council mayor Tanya Milligan has for young women.

Cr Milligan said her mother had been the greatest influence in her life, and still inspired her to this day.

"Mum was exceptionally resilient and strong... and even today, mum still remains to be the most influential person in my life and always a great supporter of me.”

Cr Milligan lost her father when she was just 13, leaving her mother to raise her and two siblings.

"At times she probably felt like she wanted to rip her hair out, but you know, lots of strength.”

She said her most humbling moment was apologising to her mother for all the 'grief' she caused.

In 2016, Cr Milligan became the first female mayor of the Lockyer Valley, after first being elected in 2000 to the then Laidley Shire Council.

She said she never planned to become mayor, but she believes everything happens for a reason and that young women should always strive to be happy.

"I've always said to my kids, make your vocation a vacation. If you're doing something that you love and you feel passionate about, it never feels like work as such.”

Cr Milligan said the greatest struggle young women would face would be their own expectations of themselves, and that they should do more to help their fellow sisters.

"As women, we should be building each other up,” she said.

"Women are pretty powerful; we can have jobs, we can have careers, we can have families, we can raise our children. And I think we're pretty good at managing all those balls in the air at the same time, and while doing that be good role models for our own children.”