Women step up in record numbers to be local leaders

MORE Tasmanian women are having an input in local government with females making up a signifcant number of those elected. SEE ALL THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS.

New Glamorgan-Spring Bay mayor Debbie Wisby. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

MORE Tasmanian women are having an input in local government with females making up a significant percentage of those newly elected to sit around the council table.

Male candidates in last month’s elections for 28 of the state’s 29 councils outnumbered females by almost two to one but it appears the community wants to see more balance in local government with almost 100 women among the 244 elected.

Tasmania has 14 new mayors after October’s poll.

In total there are now 11 female mayors in the state – Jan Bonde in Central Coast, Loueen Triffitt in Central Highlands, Annette Rockliff in Devonport, Annie Revie on Flinders Island, Bridget Archer in George Town, Debbie Wisby in Glamorgan-Spring Bay, Anna Reynolds in Hobart, Bec Enders in Huon Valley, Mary Knowles in Northern Midlands and Christina Holmdahl in West Tamar.

Glenorchy also has a female mayor, Kristie Johnston, who was elected in January.

Tasmanian Electoral Commissioner Andrew Hawkey said the statewide vote-return rate in the local government elections was 58.73 per cent – the second highest on record.

“It was a very good response. It was the highest rate since 1996,” Mr Hawkey said.

“If you compare it to Western Australia where the return rate is only about 30 per cent it shows a high level of engagement.”

The highest return rate was recorded on Flinders Island, where almost 83 per cent of eligible voters got involved.

Other high-performing municipalities were Break O’Day where 72.14 per cent of eligible voters had their say, Dorset (72.97 per cent) and Glamorgan-Spring Bay, where Michael Kent lost his position as mayor after 78.83 per cent cast their vote.

The lowest return rate was recorded in Brighton (52.6 per cent) followed by West Tamar (53.19 per cent), Launceston (53.47 per cent) and Clarence (53.58 per cent).

Hobart City Council had the largest field of candidates at 36, followed by Launceston City Council where 32 battled for a spot.

The new Hobart City Council that was sworn in at a ceremonial reception at the Town Hall. Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds gave her welcome address to the new and re-elected aldermen, front, from left, Zelinda Sherlock, Holly Ewin, Ald Reynolds, Helen Burnet, Mike Dutta, Tanya Denison and, from back left, Simon Behrakis, Peter Sexton, Marti Zucco, Damon Thomas, Jeff Briscoe and Bill Harvey. Picture: EDDIE SAFARIK

ALL THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS

BREAK O’DAY

MAYOR: TUCKER, Mick

DEPUTY MAYOR: McGIVERON, John

COUNCILLORS

TUCKER, Mick

WRIGHT, Kylie

McGIVERON, John

LEFEVRE, Barry

DRUMMOND, Janet

WHITTAKER, Lesa

TUCKER, John

CHAPPLE, Kristi

McGUINNESS, Glenn

BRIGHTON

MAYOR: FOSTER, Tony

DEPUTY MAYOR: CURRAN, Barbara

COUNCILLORS

FOSTER, Tony

CURRAN, Barbara

OWEN, Phil

GRAY, Leigh

GEARD, Peter

WHELAN, Jessica

JEFFRIES, Moya

MURTAGH, Tennille

GARLICK, Wayne

BURNIE

MAYOR: KONS, Steven

DEPUTY MAYOR: SIMPSON, Giovanna

ALDERMEN

KONS, Steven

BOYD, Alwyn

SIMPSON, Giovanna

DORSEY, Ken

PEASE, David

BULLE, Themba

KEYGAN, Amina

BRUMBY, Teeny

LYNCH, Chris

CENTRAL COAST

MAYOR: BONDE, Jan

DEPUTY MAYOR: CARPENTER, Garry

COUNCILLORS

BONDE, Jan

FULLER, Cheryl

CARPENTER, Garry

VAN ROOYEN, Tony

VINEY, Philip

DIPROSE, Amanda

OVERTON, Annette

BESWICK, John

HISCUTT, Casey

CENTRAL HIGHLANDS

MAYOR: TRIFFITT, Loueen (Lou)

DEPUTY MAYOR: ALLWRIGHT, Jim

COUNCILLORS

TRIFFITT, Loueen (Lou)

ALLWRIGHT, Jim

CAMPBELL, Anita

BAILEY, Tony

BOWDEN, Scott

HONNER, Julie

CASSIDY, Robert

ARCHER, Anthony

POORE, Jim

CIRCULAR HEAD

MAYOR: QUILLIAM, Daryl

DEPUTY MAYOR: BERECHREE, Norman

COUNCILLORS

QUILLIAM, Daryl

BERECHREE, Norman

POPOWSKI, Ashley

KAY, Betty

IVES-HERES, Stafford

OLDAKER, John Henry

BLIZZARD, Gerard

WOODWARD, David (Woody)

ETTLIN, Kathleen

CLARENCE

MAYOR: CHIPMAN, Doug

DEPUTY MAYOR: CHONG, Heather

ALDERMEN

CHIPMAN, Doug

MULDER, Tony

WARREN, Beth

JAMES, Richard

KENNEDY, Wendy

EWINGTON, Dean

CHONG, Heather

VON BERTOUCH, Sharyn

EDMUNDS, Luke

WALKER, James

PEERS, John

BLOMELEY, Brendan

DERWENT VALLEY

MAYOR: SHAW, Ben

DEPUTY MAYOR: COSGROVE, Jessica

COUNCILLORS

BELCHER, Paul Damien

SHAW, Ben

TRIFFETT, Julie

COSGROVE, Jessica

POWER, Rachel

EVANS, Martyn

BROWNING, Luke

SALT, Anne

DEVONPORT

MAYOR: ROCKLIFF, Annette

DEPUTY MAYOR: JARMAN, Alison

ALDERMEN

ROCKLIFF, Annette

PERRY, Leon

ENNISS, Gerard

MURPHY, Leigh

JARMAN, Alison

MILBOURNE, Sally

LAYCOCK, Lynn

HOLLISTER, Peter Graham

ALEXIOU, John

DORSET

MAYOR: HOWARD, Greg

DEPUTY MAYOR: JESSUP, Dale

COUNCILLORS

HOWARD, Greg

McLENNAN, Wendy

NICHOLS, Jerrod

JESSUP, Dale

HALL, Max

LADE, Murray

STEIN, Leonie

POWELL, Edwina

HUGHES, Jan

FLINDERS

MAYOR: REVIE, Annie

DEPUTY MAYOR: WILLIAMS, David

COUNCILLORS

REVIE, Annie

BLYTH, Sharon

RHODES, Peter Frank

WILLIAMS, David

SUMMERS, Rachel

BURKE, Aaron

GRACE, Vanessa

GEORGE TOWN

MAYOR: ARCHER, Bridget Kathleen

DEPUTY MAYOR: HARRIS, Tim

COUNCILLORS

ARCHER, Bridget Kathleen

KIESER, Greg

BARRACLOUGH, Chris

MICHIELETTO, Andrew

MASON, Winston

BARWICK, Heather

DAWSON, Greg

HARRIS, Tim

BROOKS, Justine

GLAMORGAN-SPRING BAY

MAYOR: WISBY, Debbie

DEPUTY MAYOR: WOODS, Jenny

COUNCILLORS

ARNOL, Cheryl

WISBY, Debbie

BREHENY, Keith

SYMONS, Michael

KENT, Michael

CHURCHILL, Rob

WOODS, Jenny

BROWNING, Annie

HOBART

MAYOR: REYNOLDS, Anna

DEPUTY MAYOR: BURNET, Helen

ALDERMEN

REYNOLDS, Anna

BURNET, Helen

HARVEY, Bill

THOMAS, Damon

BRISCOE, Jeff

BEHRAKIS, Simon

DENISON, Tanya

ZUCCO, Marti

DUTTA, Mike

EWIN, Holly

SHERLOCK, Zelinda

SEXTON, Peter

HUON VALLEY

MAYOR: ENDERS, Bec

DEPUTY MAYOR: DOYLE, Sally

COUNCILLORS

ENDERS, Bec

NEWELL, Mick

GIBSON, Paul

DOYLE, Sally

CAMPBELL, Christine

WILSON, Mike

PRINCE, Rob

BIRD, Juarne

O’MAY, Mark

KENTISH

MAYOR: WILSON, Tim

DEPUTY MAYOR: THWAITES, Don

COUNCILLORS

THWAITES, Don

WILSON, Tim

HABERLE, Kate

LANE, Penny

MAWER, Stephen

RICHARDS, Phillip

CASSIDY, Linda

BLENKHORN, Rodney

MEIJER, Nicole

KING ISLAND

MAYOR: MUNDAY, David

DEPUTY MAYOR: ARNOLD, Julie

COUNCILLORS

MUNDAY, David

ARNOLD, Julie

AGATI, Luke

COOPER, Jim

GREEN, Gina

CLEMONS, Thor

McFIE, Duncan

LAIDLER, Sarina

ALLAN, Ian

KINGBOROUGH

MAYOR: WINTER, Dean

DEPUTY MAYOR: WESTWOOD, Jo

COUNCILLORS

WINTER, Dean

ATKINSON, Richard

WASS, Steve

WESTWOOD, Jo

WRIEDT, Paula

MIDGLEY, Amanda

BASTONE, Sue

FOX, Flora

GRACE, David

STREET, Christian

LATROBE

MAYOR: FRESHNEY, Peter

DEPUTY MAYOR: BROWN, Graeme Claude

COUNCILLORS

FRESHNEY, Peter

BROWN, Graeme Claude

MEAD, Vonette

METSKE, Sommer

MCLAREN, Mike

WICKS, Gerrad

SIMS, Garry

ALLISON, Shayne (Cush)

YOUNG, Lesley

LAUNCESTON

MAYOR: VAN ZETTEN, Albert

DEPUTY MAYOR: GIBSON, Danny

ALDERMEN

VAN ZETTEN, Albert

FINLAY, Janie

GIBSON, Danny

DAWKINS, Andrea

DAKING, Nick

McKENZIE, Hugh

STOJANSEK, Karina

SOWARD, Rob

SPENCER, Paul

COX, Jim

HARRIS, Alan

WALKER, Tim

MEANDER VALLEY

MAYOR: JOHNSTON, Wayne

DEPUTY MAYOR: KELLY, Michael

COUNCILLORS

JOHNSTON, Wayne

BOWER, Susie

KELLY, Michael

CAMERON, Stephanie

SHERRIFF, Andrew

KING, Tanya

CONNOR, Andrew

NOTT, Frank

TEMPLE, John

NORTHERN MIDLANDS

MAYOR: KNOWLES, Mary

DEPUTY MAYOR: GOSS, Richard

COUNCILLORS

ADAMS, Dick

KNOWLES, Mary

DAVIS, Jan

LAMBERT, Janet

GOSS, Richard

POLLEY, Michael

BROOKS, Matthew

GONINON, Ian

CALVERT, Andrew

SORELL

MAYOR: VINCENT, Kerry

DEPUTY MAYOR: REYNOLDS, Natham

COUNCILLORS

De WILLIAMS, Deborah

DEGRASSI, Kerry

GALA, Vlad

JACKSON, Geoffrey

NICHOLS, Beth

REED, Melinda

REYNOLDS, Natham

TORENIUS, Carmel

VINCENT, Kerry

SOUTHERN MIDLANDS

MAYOR: GREEN, Alex

DEPUTY MAYOR: BATT, Edwin

COUNCILLORS

DUDGEON, Karen

BISDEE, Tony

GREEN, Alex

McDOUGALL, Rowena

BATT, Edwin

BANTICK, Tony

FISH, Donald Frank

* David Laugher was elected deputy mayor, but failed to be elected as a councillor.

TASMAN

MAYOR: SPAULDING, Kelly

DEPUTY MAYOR: STACEY, Maria

COUNCILLORS

STACEY, Maria

SPAULDING, Kelly

FENERTY, Pam

BARWICK, Jan

BEARD, David

GRIFFITHS, Andy

GARRETT, Casey

WARATAH-WYNYARD

MAYOR: WALSH, Robert (Robby)

DEPUTY MAYOR: DUNIAM, Mary

COUNCILLORS

WALSH, Robert (Robby)

HOUSE, Allie

FAIRBROTHER, Darren

HYLAND, Kevin

DUNIAM, Mary

EDWARDS, Celisa

COURTNEY, Andrea

BRAMICH, Gary

WEST COAST

MAYOR: VICKERS, Phil

DEPUTY MAYOR: PITT, Shane

COUNCILLORS

VICKERS, Phil

NEWMAN, Lindsay William

PITT, Shane

STYLES, Leigh

SHEA, Terrance

STRINGER, Scott

HALL, Ian

GERRITY, Robyn

GRAHAM, Kerry

WEST TAMAR

MAYOR: HOLMDAHL, Christina

DEPUTY MAYOR: ALLEN, Joy

COUNCILLORS

HOLMDAHL, Christina

ALLEN, Joy

LYONS, Geoff

IRELAND, Richard

FERGUSON, Lynden

BRACKEN, Carol

SHEGOG, Rick

WOINARSKI, Tim

KEARNEY, Peter