RESEARCH commissioned by the Committee for Perth has revealed the boys’ club is alive and well in the state’s local political scene, with the Perth metropolitan area recording the worst representation of women in local government across the nation.
Only 30 per cent of Perth’s mayors are female.
During the past 25 years, women have, on average, filled 17 per cent of mayoral roles in Perth compared to 33 per cent in Adelaide and 30 per cent in Melbourne.
Committee for Perth chief executive Marion Fulker said the research examined whether the glass ceiling of mayoral politics remained intact or was cracking in Perth.
“Given that women make up around 51 per cent of the community, the proportion of female mayors in Perth and around the country has been unreasonably low,” head of research Paul Maginn said.
“While there have been some improvements which have addressed the gender imbalance, it is still very much a ‘boys’ club’.”
