Push to ditch ‘aldermen’ title a ‘waste of council resources’

There was a push to ditch the term alderman in Glenorchy but the council has voted to keep it. Find out why.>

Molly Kendall. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

The Glenorchy City Council will not join Clarence and Kingston councils by abandoning the term ‘alderman’, after a vote on Monday.

A motion to ditch the term was moved by Molly Kendall on Monday, who believed the term was obsolete in Australia.

“This motion is about us as a council moving from the, in my opinion, slightly old fashioned and colonist term of ‘alderman’ and moving to the inclusive term of ‘councillor’,” Ms Kendall said.

Glenorchy councillor Molly Kendall. Photograph Eddie Safarik

Under the local government act, elected members have the option to be called either ‘councillor’ or ‘alderman’.

Ald Harry Quick was the only other member to support the push.

“From today onwards I wish to be called a councillor, not an alderman. I’m happy to have my sign replaced at my cost,” he said.

“We represent a council and councillors is synonyms, rather than this antiquated title of alderman which is non-existent in 98 per cent of councils in Australia.”

Deputy mayor Sue Hickey said the motion was “unnecessary” and a frivolous use of council resources.

“Proposing this motion which is possible anyway under local government regulations … is a motion that has tied up officer time to research and give qualified officer advice,” Ms Hickey said.

Glenorchy deputy mayor Sue Hickey. Picture: Richard Jupe

“This is a time when this city has significant financial challenges to meet its commitments to our ratepayers, a huge disadvantage we have in our community and we have a disengaged and seriously out-of-control youth behavioural problem, the council is caught up debating what we will call ourselves.”

Ald Jan Dunsby believed the term should be kept.

“The title of alderman goes with the declaration of city status, the term is also not linked by gender,” she said.

Glenorchy City Alderman Jan Dunsby at Berriedale. Picture: Chris Kidd

“Many words in the English language contains the “man”.

“I don’t believe the title is outdated, I believe it actually attracts the respect it deserves.”

The motion was lost and the term will not be replaced, but all elected members are now aware they may use either title.

“When I sneakily tried to send off my business cards with councillor with councillor, I was told I needed to bring it as amotion to change the term,” Ms Kendall said.

“That’s why I’m happy to have brought a motion, I think it’s good we are able to have this discussion.

Ms Kendall said the council had the capacity to handle different issues.

“I absolutely acknowledge there are huge issue were are dealing with on council,” she said.

“But I believe in us, I believe in our council … I think we can walk and chew gum at the same time.”

‘Don’t call me alderman’: Bid to ditch ‘old fashioned’ term

A NEWLY-elected Glenorchy City councillor wants to ditch the term alderman, saying it is “not only gendered but also dated and colonist”.

Molly Kendall, who stood for the Greens, says she’s “pretty hopeful” the council will agree to her motion at Monday’s meeting to call elected members councillors rather than aldermen, although one council colleague has already signalled she will oppose the move.

“To me it’s a no-brainer,” Ms Kendall said. “We are committed to being a progressive council and this is a great way to start the year and encourages diversity.”

Glenorchy Alderman Molly Kendall wants to be called a councillor.

Ms Kendall says the word alderman was used by nobles presiding over English shires and presented the Glenorchy Council as “old-fashioned and out of touch”.

“The title alderman is obsolete in Australia.

“On a personal note, as a woman in her early 40s, the term alderman doesn’t resonate with me.

“This didn’t stop me from running for council, but I am white, cis-gendered and privileged.

“For those including but not limited to non-binary people and first nations people, this term is an emotional and psychological barrier.”

Ms Kendall quotes former long-serving Clarence mayor Doug Chipman, who said in the Mercury in 2019 that only three councils, Darwin, Glenorchy and some members of Hobart used the term alderman.

City of Hobart Alderman Marti Zucco said the move was “nothing but green political grandstanding”.

“Any elected member has a right to call themselves alderman or councillor ... this green political game was also played out in Hobart by the Greens; the person in question is a councilor in the first instance according to the Act.

“Time wasting Green wokeness at its worst.”

According to the Local Government Act, “a person elected to a city council is a councillor but may be known as an alderman”.

Alderman Jan Dunsby believes Ms Kendall has missed the mark in her arguments.

“The forefathers of Glenorchy did not take lightly the responsibility to place Glenorchy in the position to be proclaimed a city in 1964,” she said.

“The title of alderman goes with the declaration of city status.

Glenorchy Alderman Molly Kendall wants to be called a councillor.

“The term is also not linked by gender. In fact many words used regularly in the English language contain the ‘man’ letters but are not gender specific. Human, Tasmanian are just a couple that come to mind.

“The whole word needs to be considered in its own context.”

Ms Dunsby said the title alderman has been considered by other councils in recent years, with Hobart City Council voting for elected members to choose their title.

She said to make a change from alderman would incur unnecessary costs “at a time when we have matters of significantly greater importance”.

“For now, my thinking is status quo for Glenorchy, let’s get on with the job at hand.

“I don’t believe the title is outdated, I believe it attracts the respect it deserves.”

Ms Kendall said the costs in changing to councillor would be minimal.