Melbourne needs a mayor who gets behind equality, inclusion and a safe workplace — a feminist

MELBOURNE’S next mayor needs to be at one with feminist values of equality, inclusion and respect, writes Wendy Tuohy.

HOW FABULOUS to see that there are more women’s names being touted as potential new Mayors of Melbourne than there have been female Mayors in the history of our town.

As of February 7, 2018, there have been more men named Henry, William, Thomas, James and John on the list of our 103 Melbourne Lord Mayors than there have been women since the office began in 1842.

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So here’s a novel idea: When it comes time to firm up the favourites for our city’s fresh start, let’s make sure our candidates are feminists. Even better, award the top job at city hall to a woman, for a change.

Melbourne City Council meeting, Town Hall. Picture: Jason Edwards

As the place implodes amid allegations of a blokey, boozy, allegedly gropey culture, it’s what this forward-looking, fairness-friendly city needs.

She doesn’t need to be the next Germaine Greer, any woman who puts a premium on equality and inclusivity and isn’t afraid to say it would do. Oh, and she needs to state a willingness to build a workplace in which others feel safe to speak out about harmful experiences, too.

We have had two women Lord Mayors in the last 175 years; Lecki Ord and Winsome McCaughey.

Their terms, when added together, spanned 1987 to 1989.

In the 18 years since, apparently there has been no woman in Melbourne considered up to the task.

Seeing the women entering council’s meeting this week dressed in black to support the #MeToo anti sexual-harassment movement, and hearing Councillor Jackie Watts on ABC Melbourne radio discussing the boys’ club culture that has reportedly become entrenched in the hallowed halls of Swanston Street, it is clear how desperately we need a 180-degree change in the way our city runs.

Cr Dr Cathy Oke makes an emotional speech. Melbourne City Council meeting. Picture: Jason Edwards

How the most powerful bureaucracy in town has been brought down to the point where a woman (Councillor Cathy Oke) can stand crying in the chamber and say she feels disempowered to speak about her distressing workplace experience is anyone’s guess.

On radio, Cr Watts described council as having a “culture of entitlement, elitism and impunity”.

This speaks of widespread acceptance, or at least tolerance, of behaviours most of the corporate world has, thankfully, long updated.

That, according to Cr Oke, “it is very difficult for a councillor to know how to formally address sexual harassment towards them” and too hard to navigate the process without paying a lawyer seems inexcusably shoddy, and also unsafe.

Cr Watts said she was pleased to have encouraged council’s CEO, Ben Rimmer, to become a Male Champion of Change.

Emma Page-Campbell with her husband Robert Doyle. Picture: Nicole Garmston

You can only wonder at the size of the job within those walls if someone as engaged in issues around promoting a level playing field for women at work has, it appears, been unable to see a broom put through that workplace, at yet, at least.

The council’s archaic system of reporting/responding sounds from all accounts like more of an active barrier to women being heard than an oversight or omission.

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Cr Watts’ description of how women experience council life and the apparently debilitating (for women) “power dynamics” of the place — Oke’s choice of words — is further evidence a leader who makes a radical break with tradition is urgently needed.

It is shocking to hear any woman holding an influential public office use the words there is “fear about speaking out about inappropriate behaviour” in her workplace.

If a woman whose place of work includes the public gallery of council feels afraid of disclosing about a traumatic incident, something is deeply rotten, and very broken.

So, yes, let’s hope the next Lord Mayor (a title that, looking at the old list still seems to be used on those blue moons when the holder is female) is at one with feminism’s values of gender equality, inclusion and respect.

It’s one fast way to lift the clouds blocking out the sun in our city.