Election race begins

THE local election race is officially on from today (Thursday, September 17), as nominations open for people to stand for council.
In the Surf Coast Shire, candidates will be vying for four seats in Torquay Ward, two each in the Anglesea and Winchelsea wards, and one seat in Lorne Ward.
Candidates in the southern and western parts of the City of Greater Geelong will be contesting three seats in Kardinia Ward and Bellarine Ward respectively, while Borough of Queenscliffe has five seats up for grabs in an unsubdivided electorate.
Anyone planning to stand for council in the 2020 postal election has less than a week to declare their intentions, with nominations closing at noon on Tuesday, September 22.
Candidates have until noon the next day (Wednesday, September 23) to lodge their candidate statements, photos and questionnaires with the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC).
The state government continues to call on women to throw their hat in the ring, as it is trying to achieve 50/50 representation across councils by 2025.
At the moment, only 25 per cent of councillors in the G21 region, and 38 per cent of all Victorian councillors, are women. The Colac Otway Shire is among 14 municipalities across the state that have only one female councillor.
Women in Local Democracy (WILD) convenor Jeni Wills said while the coronavirus would restrict campaigning, women across the G21 region should not be dissuaded from running.
“WILD in recognising that equality is fundamental to democracy, supports women’s participation and leadership in local political life and therefore strongly encourages women to stand at the October election.
“WILD is keen to see closing of the gender gap on councils, moving local government closer to the achievement of the state-wide target of 50/50 representation of women and men councillors by 2025.
“Although campaigning is constrained this year, due to the COVID-19 restrictions, 2020 is a year doubly significant for women’s representation in that it celebrates the centenary of the first women elected to a Victorian Council, Mary Rogers, at Richmond, and the passage of Victoria’s trail blazing gender equality legislation.”
Corangamite federal member Libby Coker – a former councillor and two-time mayor at the Surf Coast Shire council – is also encouraging women to put their hand up.
Ms Coker was first elected to the Surf Coast Shire council in 2008 and served as mayor between 2009 and 2010, and again between 2012 and 2013.
She said her own experience on the council and the shire’s introduction of 10 days family violence leave were some of her proudest achievements.
For more information on how to nominate as a councillor, including the VEC’s online Candidate Helper, head to vec.vic.gov.au/candidates-and-parties/becoming-a-local-council-candidate.