Palmerston North city and regional councillors shared their experiences and wisdom in a session hosted by NCWNZ Manawatu (Palmerston North) branch on May 27th at the Palmerston North City Council Library. The councillors were Deputy Mayor Debi Marshall-Lobb, Lorna Johnson and Karen Naylor from the Palmerston North City Council, with Rachel Keedwell and Fiona Gordon from the regional council, Horizons. The session aimed to reflect on the insights of women councillors, providing valuable guidance for future aspiring women in these roles. The discussion revealed perspectives on gender roles, challenges, and the evolving landscape of women in leadership. Dr. Fatima Junaid moderated the meeting.

Gender Roles and Norms

When asked about the expected gender roles and norms in their positions, the councillors unanimously agreed that they do not perceive themselves as "women councillors". Councillor Fiona emphasized the importance of mindset. However, she acknowledged that people often categorize councillors as either "tough cookies" or "softies," with a generalized perception that women are softies and men are tough cookies. She argued that kindness is a strength, not a weakness, and that empathy enables one to stand firm on issues.

Councillor Rachel highlighted the need for more women in council roles, noting that the ratio of women in the council had increased from 2:10 to 4:14 over three terms. Despite this progress, there are still situations where people assume a man will be leading, which can be uncomfortable when they find a woman chairing the council. Deputy mayor Debi added that the Māori worldview, which holds that men and women have equal mana, is helpful in promoting fair treatment. However, she reinforced that female mayors and councillors across the country are still underrepresented, with only 37% and 30%, respectively.

Challenges Faced by Women Councillors

The conversation then shifted to the challenges faced by women councillors. Whaea Debi discussed the demanding nature of the work, noting that people do not realize it is not a paid, full-time job in the traditional sense. While the Mayor receives a salary, many councillors juggle multiple jobs alongside their council duties. Whaea Debi, a school principal, often negotiates her schedule with the Rector to balance her teaching commitments and council responsibilities. She emphasized that flexible work arrangements, especially post-COVID, are essential for engaging and retaining wahine leaders. Councillor Lorna shared her experience of having to leave her job as a vet due to the difficulty of managing home, professional work, and council duties, and especially in negotiating time off during school holidays. Councillor Karen noted the balancing act of juggling roles of council work while retaining her nursing role one day a week.

Social and Online Challenges

Being in public life also comes with the challenge of dealing with slander and hate. Councillors discussed the impact of online hate, which often targets their appearance rather than their work. This can be taxing for their families and children, who may worry about their mother’s/partner’s safety and well-being. Some councillors have stopped, frozen, or deleted their public social media accounts to avoid the negativity.

Gender Advantages and Policy Changes

On a lighter note, the councillors discussed the perceived gender advantage in multitasking. Whaea Debi added that women are more in touch with their authentic selves, asking authentic questions and caring for each other beyond work. Councillor Rachel mentioned that women have pushed for policies that create a more enabling environment for juggling roles. Councillor Fiona highlighted the positive changes brought about by having more women in leadership, hoping that their presence will function as role models encouraging more women to step forward.

Inclusion, Diversity, and Ageism

The councillors agreed that the current global trend of reducing the focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is regressive. The strides made in using Te Reo and promoting inclusivity are being adversely affected. However, they noted that ageism is not an issue within the council systems and structure.

Advice for Aspiring Women Councillors

Finally, the councillors shared their advice for aspiring women councillors. Councillor Lorna emphasized the importance of more women putting their hands up for the role. She noted that if one quarter of the candidates standing for the role are women, we are likely to have one quarter women representation. Whaea Debi reiterated the importance of role models and fondly recalled her mother and other women who worked in this space before her. This was unanimously supported.

The question of why women do not apply for these roles led to divergent responses. Councillor Karen felt that women did not accept the roles because they lacked self-confidence, but Councillor Lorna disagreed, stating that being a public figure and being targeted on social media can be taxing. Others agreed that men are not often targeted for their appearance or personal qualities. The more vocal a councillor is about minority issues, the more likely they are to become targets of hate.

Whaea Debi called out haters, while Councillor Rachel suggested that it is useful to have a supportive tribe at work, good mentors and to be aware of pitfalls. Despite these challenges, she encouraged aspiring councillors to go for it with an open mind to learn. Councillor Fiona emphasized that knowledge is power and using that power to benefit communities is worth the effort. She concluded that it’ a three-year term, and one can always decide not to go for it next time.

The councillors agreed that visibility, genuine community engagement, and being known for supporting the community are important aspects for being elected to these roles. They encouraged others to pursue these roles and invited aspiring women to connect with current councillors to discuss the realities, joys, and pains of the role, ensuring they make an informed decision.

The councillors' insights offer valuable guidance for future aspiring women councillors, emphasizing the importance of empathy, pragmatism, and the continuous push for inclusivity and diversity. The advice shared by the councillors underscores the significance of self-confidence, mentors and community support in encouraging more women to step into these roles to make a meaningful impact.

To read more articles from The Circular (May-June 2025) issue 652, click on the tag below.