Orange City Council was given a glimpse of the future on Saturday, and the future could well be female in the Byng Street chamber.
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Some three dozen women attended the Women in Council forum, which was held to help lift the bonnet on how councils function, with some attendees thinking of running and some wanting to help run on tickets with other women and help them campaign.
Australian Local Government Women's Association president and Lithgow City Councillor Cass Coleman said she was "overwhelmed by the response".
"I couldn't believe the amount of women here. So thrilled to see that many here," she said.
"We encourage women to stand, what happens on polling day is up to the community but we need people to lead their ticket and to stand."
Cr Coleman said it was important to be inform women about the system they had to navigate while standing for office, but it could be done.
I've worked in places I think you'd describe as a boys' club and I think that creates a culture which isn't progress or diverse or equal.
- Amanda Spalding
"We talk about why you should stand, how you can, about understanding quotes and preferences and go into stats," she said.
Amanda Spalding was one woman who attended who expressed interest in running for council.
Ms Spalding has worked in local government for decades and was Hay Shire Council general manager before moving back to Orange, where she's involved with the business chamber, community radio, Arts Out West, Put Orange First and more.
She said there wasn't equal representation across councillors or staff and she wanted to change that.
"I've worked in places I think you'd describe as a boys' club and I think that creates a culture which isn't progress or diverse or equal," Ms Spalding said.
"Having worked in that I want to change that from the representation side as well.
"To me it just doesn't look right. You look at it, I live-stream [meetings] and it just look wrong and doesn't look representative of the community."
She said one of the reasons she was looking into running was to help encourage other women to stand.
"I feel like I can't go around encouraging other people to do it unless I can put my hand up and do it myself," she said.
Orange City Council's sole female councillor Joanne McRae believed future councillors were in the room, and said it was important to open the dialogue to try and encourage more women to run.
She added it was important to show women are able to see they can juggle work and family responsibilities with council commitments.
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