Why gender equality? Why local government?

When you have diversity in decision-making bodies, you make better decisions. As the level of government closest to communities, it’s vital councils reflect all the people they serve.

At the 2024 local government elections, 278 women were elected to council – representing 43 percent of councillors. While on par with 2020 election results, there is still some way to go to support the Victorian Government's target of 50 percent women councillors and mayors in local government.

Local Government and Gender Equality Acts

The Gender Equality Act 2020 and Local Government Act 2020 position gender equality, diversity and inclusion as key priorities for councils and their staff.

The two Acts complement each other and introduce a wide range of different measures, including:

  • that Councils must prepare workforce plans that measure gender equality, diversity and inclusiveness in their workforce
  • that Councillors will have access to paid parental leave and reimbursement for care expenses
  • action on sexual harassment and other forms of councillor misconduct
  • gender equality audits across the local government sector.

Local Government Victoria - Support for Gender Equality

Mary Rogers Awards 2026

In September, the achievements of women in local government across Victoria have been honoured at the 2026 Mary Rogers Awards.

The award recipients and nominees gathered in Queens Hall, Parliament House to celebrate the contribution and dedication to local government made by women across the state.

Stonnington City Mayor Melina Sehr was awarded the Mary Rogers Award for outstanding contributions as a civic leader across her 24 years on council. She was recognised for her work to champion civic participation and gender equality and her advocacy for a safer working landscape for councillors.

Hobsons Bay councillor Rayane Hawli received the Emerging Woman Leader award for demonstrating exceptional leadership in her first term as councillor. This included her tenure as Deputy Mayor of Hobsons Bay, her championing of women’s leadership, and her advocacy for human rights, social housing, refugees, transport, sport and inclusion.

Brimbank City Council and Mildura Rural City Councils both received this year’s Gender Equality Council Champion Award as Metropolitan and Regional/Rural category winners.

Brimbank City Council was recognised for its council-wide commitment to gender equity and its tailored program for prospective women councillors.

Mildura Rural City Council was recognised for its work to make tangible and meaningful impacts on gender equality across the local government area through its operations.

The Mary Rogers Awards were designed by the Victorian Local Governance Association (VLGA) and delivered in partnership with the Victorian Government.

The Mary Rogers Awards are named after Victoria’s first woman councillor, Mary Rogers, and celebrate the significant contributions of women councillors as civic leaders in local government.

The Victorian Government contributed $10,000 towards the delivery of this year’s awards.

In August 2025, the government also provided $20,000 for the Australian Local Government Women’s Association Victoria’s mentoring program. The funding connected 20 new women councillors with experienced mentors to help grow their professional skills and networks across the sector.

The initiatives are part of a broader effort to achieve a more representative local government, with aims to have women to make up half of all elected councillors and mayors by 2028.

For more information on the Mary Rogers Awards, visit vlga.org.au/governance-leadership/local-government/mary-rogers-awards

Women Leading Locally 2022-2024

To support the Victorian Government's 50:50 gender equality target, in 2022 the government announced funding for a leadership program for women in local government, Women Leading Locally.

Women Leading Locally ran from 2022 to 2024.

Find out more about Women Leading Locally here or contact Local Government Victoria at lgv@ecodev.vic.gov.au.

Other LGV supported gender equality programs and projects

Local Government Victoria has previously supported several programs to promote gender equality in local government:

Commissioner for Gender Equality in the Public Sector

One of the most significant reforms of the Gender Equality Act 2020 is the role of the Commissioner for Gender Equality in the Public Sector.

The Commissioner oversees implementation of the Gender Equality Act 2020 and plays a key leadership role in promoting gender equality in the Victorian community and workplaces – including councils.

For more information on the work of the Commissioner, visit The Public Sector Gender Equality Commissioner Commission for Gender Equality in the Public Sector.

Key Documents – Guides, Strategies and Reports

Anniversary of election of Victoria’s first female councillor

November 2020 marked 100 years since the election of Victoria’s first female councillor, Mary Rogers, to Richmond City Council.

In a fitting tribute, results from the 2020 Local Government elections came in the same week as the anniversary. Victoria elected 272 women – 43.8 per cent of councillors, the most in Victoria's history.

For further information on gender equality in local government, you can email the LGV inbox at lgv@ecodev.vic.gov.au.