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Country Vice-President, Australian Local Government Women’s Assn NSW
Member of ALGWA NSW over 20 years
I am an experienced Councillor, first elected in 1999, 22 years, serving local
Government in INVERELL SHIRE COUNCIL, a rural council.
Experience - NSW State I have served as: NSW Public Library Vice-President, Regional Development Board member, Joint Regional Planning Panel Member, Country Vice-President ALGWA NSW, Justice of the Peace
Experience - Locally I have served as: Deputy Mayor, Chair of Civil and Environmental Services Committee, Chair of Corporate and Economic Committee, Delegate to the Inverell Library Service and Equestrian Council
Education - most recently, Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning (Hons), from UNE Armidale, graduated 2014
Awards - received; Bi-Centenary Medal for services to culture and local government and a life membership to NSW Public Libraries and Equestrian Council.
I enthusiastically support women in Local Government. I will bring my experience, knowledge, skills, and contacts to benefit us all.
First elected to Council in 2008 Councillor Griffiths is now serving her third term. She has been elected Deputy Mayor on 3 occasions. She has served on Blacktown City’s Community Services Committee, Aboriginal Advisory Committee, Youth Advisory Committee, Sister Cities Committee, Animal Advisory Committee, Planning, Development, Historical & Assets Committee and Chair of the Women’s Advisory Committee. She currently sits on the Hawkesbury River County Council, LGNSW Board, BVM Board, Rural Fire Co-ordination Committee, Rural Fire Liaison Committee & Local Government L
Councillor Griffiths is an Electorate Officer, for the new State Member for Penrith. Previously working for the Minister for Communications – Hon Michelle Rowland. For the past 23 years, Councillor Griffiths has been an active member of the Australian Local Government Women’s Association (ALGWA) NSW Branch, including president (2010–2012) and City Vice President (current). As a member of the NSW Joint Ministerial Advisory Council, Councillor Griffiths worked the Minister for Local Government to increase the number of roles for women in local government.
She has fulfilled various roles with Children Services and Health Industry Training and Advisory Body, Local Government Child Care Task Force, the Review of Children’s Services Regulations 2004. She has also been Chair for Coalition for Women, National Women’s Consultative Committee and the Women in Sports board.
Appointed Chief De Mission and Australian Coach of the Futsal U/21 Women’s Indoor Soccer Team to tour Spain, Councillor Griffiths has been an elite coach for Nepean and Blacktown Spartans U/21 Women. At a local level she has coached Quakers Hill boys’ and women’s teams and the Glenwood Redbacks.
Councillor Griffiths is committed to fostering Blacktown City’s infrastructure and providing good quality child care, recreational and sporting facilities. She is also passionate about ensuring quality aged care and further developing services for our youth through TAFE and skills development.
Cassandra Coleman was born and raised in Lithgow and works locally at Revenue NSW.
Cassandra was first elected to Lithgow City Council in 2016 and then again in December 2021, Cassandra was elected by the majority of her fellow Councillors as the Deputy Mayor in 2021.
Cassandra started advocating for Women their right to have a voice in 2008, when she was formally elected to the Public Service Association (PSA) Women’s Council which has a proud history of fighting for better conditions for not only women but for all.
Cassandra has held several positions with the PSA including Senior Vice President.
Cassandra was President of ALGWA NSW for three years, and under her leadership the ALGWA NSW Executive team of volunteers, criss-crossed the State of NSW for a period of 18 months conducting over 30 forums, sometimes presenting simultaneously in three different locations.
This helped create history with a record number of women elected to NSW local councils in December 2021 – an increase from 29% to 40%.
Cassandra was re-elected onto the board in 2022 taking on the role of Assistant Treasurer and then re-elected to the role of Treasurer in 2023.
Elected to Penrith Council in 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2021,
Mayor in 2015-2016 and 2020-2021. Deputy Mayor in 2006-07, 2019-2020.
She holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from WSU Majoring in Management with double sub-majors in Law & Employee Relations and the Executive Certificate for Elected Members from UTS. She is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees.
Cr McKeown is active in many community organisations and committees including as Vice President of the Australian Local Government Women’s Association NSW.
Cr McKeown is also currently a Councillor on Hawkesbury River County Council, Director of Penrith Performing & Visual Arts, a member of the Penrith CBD Corporation Board, Local Traffic Committee, Chair of Council’s Resilience and Multicultural Committees, a Director of Local Government NSW and Australian Local Government Association and Director and Deputy Chair of Active Super.
Cr McKeown is one of Council’s Sustainability Champions and represents Council and the City on environmental topics. She is also passionate about ending homelessness and providing a voice for our growing multicultural community.
I was elected to the inaugural Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council (CGRC) in September 2017 and re-elected in December 2022. At that time, I was also elected as Deputy Mayor, a position which I still hold.
My resolve to stand as an elected representative for Local Government was confirmed by listening to two ALGWA members, Judith Hannan, at that time Mayor of Wollondilly, and Marianne Saliba, then Mayor of Shell Harbour, at an ALGWA Pre-election Forum held at Gundagai early in 2017. I became a member of ALGWA NSW shortly after.
I was a guest speaker at the ALGWA NSW Conference, held in Gundagai, in March 2018. My talk was called, “Feminism, Social Justice, A Tree Change and Local Government: A Reflection.” In it I outlined my journey to feminism and my commitment to social justice. I was also able to analyse and comment on my short experience in Local Government; a place dominated, in my region, by old white men, to whom women were largely invisible and certainly not worth listening to. Out of 9 councillors only two of us were women. It was hard.
I made up part of the ALGWA NSW team that campaigned throughout the state prior to the last election encouraging women to stand for election. As a result of our work the percentage of women elected in NSW rose from 29% to 39.5%. An improvement but still nor parity. On CGRC, again only two women were elected.
Unfortunately, research has shown, that many women who are elected do not stand again for a second term. It is hard operating in a man’s domain. The role of ALGWA is to support women, both elected representatives and staff, to operate to their full potential in serving our communities. This involves awareness raising for both men and women about the blocks which women in local government face. This is particularly so for regional areas. It is about embracing equity, the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day.
I hold a master’s degree in Women’s Studies and post graduate qualifications in Indigenous Studies. I am committed to bringing about positive change in all the areas I live and work. An improvement in women’s place in local government will bring about a positive change for everybody.
I am Married to Richard White. I am the mother of four and the grandmother of six.
Penny was elected to Ryde council in 2017 and has worked hard for the community ever since, fighting for new infrastructure and more open spaces.
Penny initiated Ryde's first Reconciliation Action Plan; child minding services; The Ryde March Against Abuse; Battle of the bands; Riverside markets; EV charging; the ban on single use plastic by council, widespread street tree planting and along with the Ryde Council Labor team over saw the plans for a new civic building; delivered regional playgrounds; a multilevel carpark; protected heritage precincts and endangered forest among many other projects.
Penny is a creative with a background in Theatre, Television, radio, production and governance (Board director at the Griffin Theatre company) She is a long time Climate activist, conservationist; Climate council's Cities Power Partnership local leader and NSW organiser of LEAN. Her passion for clean waterways led to 4 years as vice chair of the Parramatta River catchment group, collaborating with several government agencies and 10 other councils to deliver a masterplan to make the river swimmable again by 2025. This includes the impending launch of the swim site's at Putney and Hunters Hill.
Penny currently represents local government in NSW as a metropolitan director of local Government NSW; has represented Northern regional councils as Vice president of NSROC and as an alternate delegate to the Northern Sydney Planning Panel.
She has been a board director and has volunteered for over a decade as an arts/music presenter, at Northside radio 99.3FM and is a local government delegate to the NSW Music festival roundtable.
She also sits on the Ryde Hunters Hill domestic and family violence committee and the governance research reference group for Side by Side disability advocacy .
Penny loves Kayaking, bushwalking and volunteers as a certified wildlife rescuer in Sydney's Northern Suburbs.
1995—Current, Mayor 2008—present
Shires Association of NSW
Current Divisional Representative for the Association’s E Division of Councils.
14 year affiliation, including executive positions held: Vice President, President and Immediate Past President.
First woman to be elected President of the Association in its 100-year history.
Central West Regional Organisation of Councils—Chair
2010—Present, 1998—2000
Murray Darling Basin Community Advisory Committee Board Member
2004 - 2008
Inaugural Chair
PASSIONATE, EXPERIENCED & DRIVEN
Cr Miller has been a passionate advocate for women in local government since she was elected to Forbes Shire Council in 1995.
In the twenty-eight years that have followed, Cr Miller has continued to use her voice to affect change through extensive Board experience and leadership.
Elected to Ku-ring-gai Council in Nov 2018 in a by-election and re-elected in December 2021. I have been on the ALGWA executive board since 2021.
I am passionate about making a difference to better the lives of others; have a strong community focus and advocacy for supporting services in mental health, disability, youth suicide, domestic violence prevention and urban wildlife and environment protection.
I am currently involved and volunteer with many local community groups and committees, including Girl Guides, Rotary St Ives, PCYC, Wild Things NSW (urban wildlife protection ) , Ku-ring-gai Chamber of Commerce and the Public Libraries Committee.
I have a professional background in banking and finance, business development, project management, events, transport, entrepreneurism, and small business.
I am a current elected member of the Liberal Women’s Council Executive elected in Nov 2019,
I’m looking forward to continuing work with the ALGWA board to increase our current representation of women in local government positions and working towards the 50/50 target across all Councils in NSW, and proud of our achievements in reaching 39.5% in the 2021 local government elections.
Professional Qualifications
Skills & Experience
I am a current and former member of many various community committees and associations.
I am passionate about health care and its delivery to meet the needs of our diverse community and strongly believe in social justice. As an elected member of Griffith City Council, I am exposed to the concerns of the community and can understand and represent their views and concerns. I am confident and experienced in public speaking, with people skills and business and networking skills. I am also an experienced lobbyist at Local, State and Federal levels. I am also fluent in Italian.
Some of my achievements over the years:-
Relocating Kalinda Special School, from an unsuitable site in the bush, to be integrated within the grounds of mainstream schools in the City.
Challenging the Department of Education, to lift the limited age from 18 to 20 years for students with a disability to be able to continue at school if they so desire.
Lobby for funding and establish, Griffith Post School Option. It provides Services to people with a disability after they leave school.
Lobbied and supported the establishment of the NDIS and organised workshops, information sessions and pre-planning support for people with a disability and their families and Carers.
Councillor Beverley Spearpoint is a proud resident of the North Ward of Wollondilly Shire. She has spent much of her working life in Local Government having worked for Penrith City Council for 25 years working in the departments of Children Services, Health and Building Planning.
Councillor Spearpoint is currently Chair of WSC’s portfolio’s
Youth AG
Disability and Inclusion AG
Australia’s Day AG
Also Deputy Chair of:
Indigenous AG
Strategic RG
Bev has been an active member of the community and has been instrumental in the establishment and ongoing running of many community groups and services within the North Ward of the Shire such as the Warragamba/Silverdale Playgroup, Warragamba/Silverdale Swim Club,
Warragamba Silverdale Neighbourhood first Steering Committee member
Bev was a Warragamba Brownie Leader.
Also a founding member of the Preservation Club Warragamba and surrounds
Currently President of the newly formed branch The Oaks Probus Group
Clr Spearpoint is committed to being an independent voice when it comes to Council’s decision-making process and aims to work to improve transport and infrastructure and a advocating for a 2nd Public High School for WSC’s youth particularly in the the North of the Shire
Clr Spearpoint also wishes to see inclusion, diversity and disability access improved; as well as maintaining Wollondilly’s rural lifestyle and supporting local jobs and businesses.
Dr Diane Colman is a well-respected academic from Western Sydney University. She is an integral part of the university’s course leadership team, providing expert direction and advice on governance, strategy, risk management, financial discipline and digital innovation.
Diane has considerable experience in strategic planning, program implementation, management of multi-million-dollar budgets and legislative compliance as well as ensuring the well-being of staff across the organisation.
As well as effective corporate skills and experience, Diane has strong linkages within her local community, campaigning on numerous issues relating to the health and well-being of residents.
Diane was elected to Cumberland City Council in 2021 and has been a strong advocate for policy and programs that provide the conditions for success of local women. She has championed strategies to improve women’s well being and to make women’s achievements more visible.
With her strong understanding of business, the local community and the political environment, Diane will be a strong voice for women in local government in NSW.
Elected to Council in 1995 my life experiences through travel and my Community Issues within our local government.
My support of public libraries is my priority as I see it has an emphasis on equity and equality and provides an opportunity for everyone to reach their potential. In celebrating International Women's Day I have been instrumental in now having a collection of media on Women's Mentoring and issues to a value of $4000. I have also been an executive member of the NSW Mining Related Councils Association for ten years addressing state issues as well as local community issues of mining.
Clr Dr Greta Werner is a Research Associate in the planning department at The University of Sydney researching population change and urban development with a focus on housing. She is a Councillor on Bayside Council, Sydney, since 2021. She is a member of Council’s Corporate Performance and Environment and Planning Committees, and an alternate delegate for the Eastern City Planning Paneland and on SSROC. As a member of the National Tertiary Education Union she has been actively involved in the campaign to stop casualisation of university work and the campaign against wage theft in the university sector.
Alison is a first-term Counsellor and Deputy Mayor on Eurobodalla Shire Council on the stunning south coast of NSW.
A small business owner, Alison is the woman behind RadPads reusable cloth menstrual pads sold online, wholesale and face to face at sustainability and wellbeing festivals.
As one of just 3 women in a council of 9, Alison strives to encourage greater representation of women in local government at every opportunity whilst shining the light on the areas in local government where there is still work to be done in achieving gender equality outcomes.
On her council Alison serves on the following committees:
● Aboriginal Advisory Committee
● Coastal and Environmental Management Committee
● Disability and Inclusion Advisory Committee
● Climate Change Advisory Committee
and is LG representative on the Batemans Marine Park Advisory Committee.