Tanya Denison pokes fun at push to replace the title alderman with councillor

HOBART City Council alderman Tanya Denison has poked fun at a push to replace the word alderman with councillor.

Hobart City Council alderman Tanya Denison is happy with “male” titles. Picture: MATT THOMPSON

HOBART City Council alderman Tanya Denison has queried moves to replace the title alderman with councillor.

Writing on Facebook, the Liberal Senate candidate outlined the “blokey” titles she has held over the past 20 years, including draftsman, foreman, manager and chairman.

“I was told that there was a story reported recently about a female candidate bemoaning the lack of female candidates, and that this is somehow related to the title of the role,” Ald Denison said.

“If only someone had told me I was supposed to be offended, I wonder where I would be today.”

Hobart City Council will debate replacing the title alderman with councillor on Monday.

The change has the support of Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds.

Proponents of change have argued the term alderman is outdated.

Burnie City Council alderman Amina Keygan moved a successful motion to have the state’s city’s representatives called councillors at this year’s Local Government Association of Tasmania conference.

People on the Burnie, Clarence, Devonport, Glenorchy, Hobart and Launceston councils are referred to as aldermen, while the remaining councils call their representatives councillors.

Ald Keygan argued at the July meeting that the alderman title was outdated and confusing and noted the Brisbane City Council had scrapped the term.

Ald Keygan said there had been a strong reaction to her push to make the title more inclusive of women.

“Some people might say it doesn’t matter and language isn’t important, but when the action of changing one word elicits threats and awful reactions, you think if it doesn’t matter, then what’s the issue,” she said.

Hobart City alderman Holly Ewin started a petition to have the title scrapped in favour of gender neutral terms ahead of her election and said she would continue to push for it to be replaced.