Roadblocks to diversity in Local Government in New South Wales, Australia: changing narratives and confronting absences in diversity strategies
The 2021 local government elections in New South Wales (NSW), Australia delivered a record 39.5% female representation, up from 31.2% in the previous election. The increased number of women elected to councils can be read as evidence of the success of a diversity strategy centred on encouraging and...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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UTS ePRESS
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance |
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| Online Access: | http://10.44.11.29:8080/index.php/cjlg/article/view/8054 |
| _version_ | 1828200505529073664 |
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| author | Tanya Jakimow |
| author_facet | Tanya Jakimow |
| author_sort | Tanya Jakimow |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
The 2021 local government elections in New South Wales (NSW), Australia delivered a record 39.5% female representation, up from 31.2% in the previous election. The increased number of women elected to councils can be read as evidence of the success of a diversity strategy centred on encouraging and equipping women, and other under-represented groups, to stand for election. However, without detracting from the value of these initiatives, their capacity to achieve a councillor body reflective of the general population is limited. People of non-European ancestry, particularly women of ‘colour’ remain grossly underrepresented, while the gains in women’s representation will fail to reach gender parity unless the practices that sustain male overrepresentation, particularly by Anglo and other ‘white’ European men, are challenged. This article draws upon qualitative interviews with councillors to offer fresh readings of conventional explanations for a lack of diversity in Australian local government, while also underscoring the importance of addressing issues that are currently neglected in ‘technical’ approaches.
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| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T11:14:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0ab7a0873a40477991ea71cc9e34ea25 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1836-0394 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T11:14:09Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | UTS ePRESS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance |
| spelling | doaj.art-0ab7a0873a40477991ea71cc9e34ea252022-12-22T03:35:32ZengUTS ePRESSCommonwealth Journal of Local Governance1836-03942022-05-012610.5130/cjlg.vi26.8054Roadblocks to diversity in Local Government in New South Wales, Australia: changing narratives and confronting absences in diversity strategiesTanya Jakimow0The Australian National University The 2021 local government elections in New South Wales (NSW), Australia delivered a record 39.5% female representation, up from 31.2% in the previous election. The increased number of women elected to councils can be read as evidence of the success of a diversity strategy centred on encouraging and equipping women, and other under-represented groups, to stand for election. However, without detracting from the value of these initiatives, their capacity to achieve a councillor body reflective of the general population is limited. People of non-European ancestry, particularly women of ‘colour’ remain grossly underrepresented, while the gains in women’s representation will fail to reach gender parity unless the practices that sustain male overrepresentation, particularly by Anglo and other ‘white’ European men, are challenged. This article draws upon qualitative interviews with councillors to offer fresh readings of conventional explanations for a lack of diversity in Australian local government, while also underscoring the importance of addressing issues that are currently neglected in ‘technical’ approaches. http://10.44.11.29:8080/index.php/cjlg/article/view/8054NSW, Australia; representation; ethnic and cultural diversity; gender; local government |
| spellingShingle | Tanya Jakimow Roadblocks to diversity in Local Government in New South Wales, Australia: changing narratives and confronting absences in diversity strategies Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance NSW, Australia; representation; ethnic and cultural diversity; gender; local government |
| title | Roadblocks to diversity in Local Government in New South Wales, Australia: changing narratives and confronting absences in diversity strategies |
| title_full | Roadblocks to diversity in Local Government in New South Wales, Australia: changing narratives and confronting absences in diversity strategies |
| title_fullStr | Roadblocks to diversity in Local Government in New South Wales, Australia: changing narratives and confronting absences in diversity strategies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Roadblocks to diversity in Local Government in New South Wales, Australia: changing narratives and confronting absences in diversity strategies |
| title_short | Roadblocks to diversity in Local Government in New South Wales, Australia: changing narratives and confronting absences in diversity strategies |
| title_sort | roadblocks to diversity in local government in new south wales australia changing narratives and confronting absences in diversity strategies |
| topic | NSW, Australia; representation; ethnic and cultural diversity; gender; local government |
| url | http://10.44.11.29:8080/index.php/cjlg/article/view/8054 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT tanyajakimow roadblockstodiversityinlocalgovernmentinnewsouthwalesaustraliachangingnarrativesandconfrontingabsencesindiversitystrategies |