With fair representation and diversity hot topics in the media lately, the Central West Women's Forum is lobbying for these values to be similarly brought to local council.

The forum's chair, Mary Brell, said that as a modern, multicultural city, it is time for Orange to have more council members who could better represent women as well as the locals from more diverse backgrounds.

"We are concerned that women are underrepresented in the Orange City Council... and that diversity is underrepresented," Ms Brell explained, pointing to the fact that the city currently only has one female leader.

"We're quite a diverse community here in Orange and we believe that the other components of the population are also underrepresented," she added.

"Now that Orange and Bathurst and a lot of these regional centres have huge Indigenous populations, Indian populations, and Sudanese (community members), we need them represented in Council."

To do that, the Central West Women's Forum is calling for women as well as locals of diverse background wanting to gain valuable mentorship in leadership to reach out to the group.

Because, despite the Central West Women's Forum's name, the group's vision wasn't just about women, but also about providing a platform of opportunity for locals wanting to succeed. Ms Brell added that Joanne McRae, Orange City Council's sole female councillor since 2016, had done an "amazing" job but there was too much "weight on her shoulders".

"We're putting it out there now to say that we're starting this process. We want to provide a platform," Ms Brell said.

"So if there are any women out there who are really keen to be involved with what we're doing or to be involved in council, we will get behind them, we will support them, we will promote them."

For more information about the group or this campaign, contact the Central West Women's Forum on centralwestwomen@gmail.com or via Facebook.