Yarra City Council spotlights rising gender abuse in councils

Yarra City Council is lobbying other councils to demand the Victorian Government to crack down on gender abuse in local government. 

The council endorsed a motion last August calling on the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV), which represents councils across the state, to acknowledge new research that shows gender abuse is on the rise. 

The motion follows the Victorian Councillor Census report, showing women are twice as likely to face hostility from male colleagues. 

In 2016, the Victorian Government set a target to reach equal representation of men and women by 2025. Women councillors' participation rose to 44 per cent in 2024 but has since stalled, a Deakin University report found.  

University of Melbourne political communication professor Andrea Carson said it stalled because the rate at which officials leave their positions is higher among women than men.

“One of the top three reasons women cite for leaving local government is because of gender abuse,” Prof Carson said.  

Yarra's motion can provide a solution to gender incivility as “at the moment, there are very few remedies for councillors that are experiencing gender abuse”, she said.

Yarra City councillor Evangeline Aston was one of the members that supported the motion. 

She said Yarra's motion demands the MAV to push the state government to enforce existing gender equality laws.

“All the legislation exists; however, what is needed is for the government to apply it more consistently and proactively to support women councillors,” Cr Aston said. 

Endorsed at the MAV’s State Council meeting last October and published in its official resolutions, the motion now forms part of the MAV’s advocacy agenda to the Victorian Government.