ALGWA Conference 2011 - Successful Bidders
Blacktown City Council wins bid to host ALGWA 2011 Conference.
You are here 
Home
Welcome to the ALGWA New South Wales Branch Website.
The NSW branch of the Australian Local Government Women's association founded at Canberra, 1951.ALGWA (NSW) is the state's peak representative body for women who are in any way involved or interested in local goverment.
ALGWA measures its success by the number of women encouraged to join Local Government.
In 1951, when ALGWA was first organised, only 54 women had been elected. By December 1974 a total of 877 women had been elected in Australia, of whom 460 were then sitting members.
While South Australia had the first woman in local government with Mrs Susan Grace Benny, JP, elected in 1919, NSW has been the most successful state.
In 1974, 169 women were elected, the highest number elected up to that time in any one State, and the first woman Lord Mayor in Australia (Alderman Lilian M Fowler, MBE, MLA, JP, Newtown Municipal Council) was elected.
At the 1995 elections 406 women were elected in NSW (22.5%). There were 27 women Mayors (15%) and 37 Deputy Mayors but there were still 12 Councils with no women at all.
- To assist in furthering women's knowledge and understanding of the function of local government
- To protect and enhance the interests and rights of women in local government.
- To take action in relation to any subject or activity of particular interest to women affecting local governing bodies and/or local government legislation.
- To act in an advisory capacity to intending women candidates for local government elections.
- To encourage women into professional careers in local government.
State Branches are federated through a common National Constitution with the National Board. The National Board represents the association at the National level. The National Board supports the State Branches and holds its Biennial AGM in conjunction with the State Conferences.The next Biennial Annual General meeting of the board will be in Adelaide in 2009 The Association currently has six states as members and a Network in the Northern Territory, the Northern Territory is in the process of becoming a Branch in its own right. Visit the ALGWA National Board website
City of Ryde to host the ALGWA Conference, 25-27 November 2010.
Women Going Places
Celebrating the 2010 Year of Women in Local Government.
The City of Ryde is delighted to host the National Australian Local Government Womens Association (ALGWA) Conference, 25-27 November 2010.
The three day conference offers forums, workshops, speakers and discussions that will inspire you on your journey to become an equal partner in leading your community.
Download the "Women Going Places" Pamphlet
Go to http://www.ryde.nsw.gov.au/algwa to pre-register.
Browse the ALGWA National Conference Accommodation Guide and location maps.
Go Red for Women Campaign
Many Australian women remain unaware of the heart disease risk they
face.
Only 20 per cent of women are aware that heart disease is the
leading cause of death in women. It is a common misconception that heart
disease is a male problem, with women tending to dismiss their symptoms.
But heart disease should not be underestimated and there are many things
women can do to reduce the risk, such as improving diet, doing physical
activity, stopping smoking and also getting a health check with a GP to
assess blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes risk.
To raise awareness the Heart Foundation is celebrating the 5th year of
the Go Red for Women Campaign with 2010 having a strong focus on knowing
the facts, not the myths.
Visit the Go Red for Women website
2010 Year of Women in Local Government
The Australian Local Government Women's Association joins in the celebration of 2010 the Year of Women in Local Government.
The launch of the 2010 Year of Women in Locla Governmnet was hosted by the City of Sydney and attended by Federal, State and Local Government representatives, Year of Local Government
Ambassadors, Local Government CEO's, General Managers and Local Government employees.
Cr Karen McKeown, Ambassador for NSW and ALGWA NSW State President attended on behalf of the ALGWA National Executive.
Minister Albanese stated that Local Government as the level of government closest to the community, makes an important contribution to the nation, delivering vital infrastructure and human services. "Given the contribution Local Governments make and the role they play, it is absolutley critical that they remain relevant to, and in touch with their communities" Minister Albanese said. "Less than a third of Councillors are women, and only seven per cent of CEO's are women."
The ALGWA is greatly appreciative of the commitment of the Australian Government to the 50:50 Vision Council for Gender Equity. The Government has provided $250,000 for ALGWA's three year program which will audit councils to determine the status and partcipation of women in leadership adn decision making roles. The ALGWA will also work with the Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government to improve the collection of data and reporting on the status of women in the Local Government sector.
Help Support the Paid Parental Leave Scheme.
After many decades of campaigning, a universal Paid Parental Leave (PPL) scheme is finally within reach in Australia.
The federal government will shortly be introducing the PPL bill into the parliament.
However, there has been some recent uncertainty regarding the opposition parties' response to the bill and there remains concern as to whether the passage of the bill will be supported.
In order to make it clear that the general public expects a fully operational scheme to be up and running by 1 January 2011, the ACTU will be presenting a petition to the federal Parliament in early June.
To have maximum impact, you are invited to take part in collecting signatures on the Paid Parental Leave Petition over the next 4 weeks.
The aim is to have at least 10,000 signatures to deliver to the Parliament and media during the PPL debate.
Download the properly constituted petition, complying with the parliamentary rules, to ensure it can be officially tabled in Parliament.
Please print the required number of copies you need and gather as many names and signatures as you can and post them back to PO Box 47, Hamilton 2303 by 19 May.
Mark to the attention of Jodie Harrison, USU Womens Officer
Please note that under parliamentary rules, no photocopied signatures are allowed - this also means no scanned signatures, which is why the original signed petitions need to be returned.
Thanks for your help in ensuring that we have a nation-wide paid parental leave scheme as promised.
Jodie Harrison
USU Womens Officer
New ALGWA National President Elected
Posted July 1 2009
At the 2009 Australian Local Government Women's Association (ALGWA) Biennial Conference and Annual General Meeting held in Adelaide, ALGWA NSW Branch Delegate Darriea Turley, was elected as the new National President.
Ms Turley is a former Councillor and Deputy Mayor on the Broken Hill City Council, current Chair of the National Rural Women's Coalition Alliance and has been a member of the ALGWA National Executive since 2004.
Ms Turley has served as State President of the ALGWA NSW Branch, is a member of the NSW Premier's Council for Women, and the ALGWA National Steering Committee implementing the National Framework for Women in Local Government - The Way Forward. Elected to local government in 1995, Ms Turley has served on numerous local and state government boards.
In 2008, she was nominated as New South Wales Woman of the Year in 2008 and named Broken Hill Executive Woman of the Year in the same year.
ALGWA offers an annual scholarship of $500.00 to a female student whose tertiary studies relate to an area of local government. It is currently awarded to an eligible student of Armidale University. The aim is to encourage women to become involved in local government and to perpetuate the memory of Marjorie Propsting, a woman who was definitely a leader and role model for women making a career in local government, or becoming an elected member of council.