National awards and accreditation for local government

About the Awards

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5050 Vision - Councils for Gender Equity Program

Women in Australia are under-represented in local government at senior levels.  In 2012 in Australia around one quarter of Councillors, one fifth of Mayors, one tenth of senior managers and one twelfth of CEOs in local government were women.  (Women in Local Government Strategy 2009-2012).

As of 1 December 2018, 34.94% of Australian Councillors are women. The State and Territory figures are:

  • Tasmania 39.9%,
  • Victoria 38.1%,
  • WA 36.21%
  • South Australia 35.4%
  • NT 33%,
  • Qld. 32.5%,
  • NSW 29.5%

The 5050Vision – Councils for Gender Equity Program was designed specifically to assist councils to identify and address gender equity issues both within their organisations and among their elected representatives and was designed to be accessed by all councils, regardless of their size, location and progress on gender equity.

Its primary goal was to increase participation of women in local government at both senior management and elected representative levels.

Councils were able to apply for accreditation at three levels - starting with Bronze, then Silver and working up to the prestigious, peer reviewed Gold Award.

The entire program was strongly based on the concepts of resource sharing and networking, and there are many resources and tools available to councils who wish to improve their performance in this area on this website.

 

Gender Equity Award Levels

 

The 5050Vision - Councils for Gender Equity Project had three levels:

Bronze level
The Bronze Award is the entry level for the program.  In order to achieve Bronze Award councils must:

  • Conduct an audit of staff/representative gender ratios
  • Provide a council endorsed statement of commitment to address gender equity issues
  • Outline at least one project the organisation will undertake or has undertaken to address gender equity issues
  • Nominate a 5050Vision champion within the organisation.


 

Silver level
To achieve the Silver Award councils must have already completed the Bronze level and achieve certification in:

  • Commitment and leadership
  • Nomination and recruitment
  • Remuneration, recognition and training
  • Work and family balance
  • Outline at least three projects the organisation will undertake or have undertaken to address gender equity issues
  • Complete an online staff survey.

 

Gold level
To achieve the Gold Award councils must have already completed the Silver level and achieve certification in:

  • Commitment and leadership
  • Nomination and recruitment
  • Remuneration, recognition and training
  • Work and family balance
  • Outline at least five projects the organisation will undertake or has undertaken to address gender equity issues
  • Complete an online staff survey.
     

Winners of the Gold Award will be able to promote themselves as Gender Equity Employers of Choice.

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