How does Australian politics stack up when it comes to gender equality and representation?
This scorecard of gendered representation in politics provides contextual analysis of the current Australian political landscape from a global, federal, state, and local government perspective to recognise the gaps and stimulate lasting change towards gender parity in Australian politics.
How Australia ranks globally
In 2023, Australia was ranked 26th out of 146 countries in the Global Gender Gap Index, an increase from 43rd in 2022 (but still lower than Australia’s 15th place in 2006).
For political empowerment, Australia is ranked 29th out of 146 countries, a significant increase from 50th place in 2022
Ranked 31st for Women in parliaments (increase from 44th in 2022)
Ranked 19th for Women in ministerial positions (significant increase from 64th in 2022)
Ranked 46th for Years with female head of state:
3 years (Julia Gillard, 2010-2013)
Source: World Economic Forum, Global Gender Gap Report 2023.
The Global Gender Gap Index benchmarks the current state and evolution of gender parity across four key dimensions (Economic Participation and Opportunity, Educational Attainment, Health and Survival, and Political Empowerment). It is the longest-standing index which tracks progress towards closing these gaps over time since its inception in 2006.
Gender representation in Federal Parliament
Total representation in Federal Parliament
House of
Representatives
Senate
House of Representatives: Gender composition by party
Senate: Gender composition by party
Source: Australian Federal Parliament, Gender composition of Australian parliaments by party: Table 1 as at 23 January 2024
Gender representation in state and territory parliaments
Women account for 45.3% of overall positions in State and Territory Parliaments in Australia
Source: Australian Federal Parliament, Gender composition of Australian parliaments by party: Table 2 as at 23 January 2024, updated with data from Tasmanian Electoral Commission following March 2024 Tasmanian State election.
Northern Territory Legislative Assembly election countdown:
Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly election countdown:
Queensland State election countdown:
Gender representation in local councils
Victoria
Following the local council elections in October 2020, Victoria has the highest representation of women councillors in Australia with 43.8%
47 out of 76 councils in Victoria have achieved gender parity
Goal:
50% gender parity to be achieved by 2025
Sources: Victorian Government, Safe and strong: a Victorian gender equality strategy and DJPR 2021, Gender equality in local government
Victorian local council election countdown:
Tasmania
Women councillors make up 40% of Tasmanian councils
52% of Mayors are women
62% of Deputy Mayors are women
Since 2014, there has been a steady increase in the number of female local government candidates. At the 2022 local government elections there were 181 female candidates, compared to 173 female candidates in 2018 and 135 in 2014.
Source: Tasmanian Government (Department of Premier and Cabinet) 2022, Women and diversity in local government
Western Australia
Women councillors make up 39% of Western Australian councils
36% of Mayors/Presidents are women
Source: WA Local Goverment Association 2022, History of Local Government
Queensland
The below stats will be updated shortly, following the 2024 Queensland local government elections.
Women councillors make up 36.6% of the 77 councils in QLD
26% of Mayors are women
23.4% of council CEO’s are women
Source: Queensland Government (State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning) 2021, Search the Local Government Directory
The Queensland Women’s Strategy 2016-2021 set a target of 50% of Queensland Local Government Board Members by 2020 target, which was achieved (4 women out of 7 members).
Source: Local Government Managers Australia Queensland 2017, Strategic Plan 2017-2021
South Australia
Women make up 35.5% of councillors South Australia
Susan Grace Benny was Australia’s first woman politician in elected office, becoming a member of SA’s Brighton Council in late 1919
Source: Government of South Australia Office for Women, Leadership and Participation – Local Government
New South Wales
Women councillors make up 31% of the 128 councils in NSW
3% of NSW councillors identify as living with a disability
2% of NSW councillors identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
Source: NSW Office of Local Government 2021, Become a Councillor
Pathways to Politics tracker
47 electoral successes across all sides of politics and all levels of government since we launched in 2016
450 alums nationally – with a projected 1000 alums by 2026
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