Photo supplied by Sophie Bougoure: Cr. Sophie Bougoure of Western Downs Regional Council, with Floyd Leedie, CEO and Gary White, Chairperson the Goondir Health Services “Wunna Yarn, Wunna Cut” mobile barber shop counselling service.
Now in its tenth year, Pathways to Politics for Women has empowered 39 First Nations women with the skills, networks and confidence to step into political leadership and bring their voices to decision-making tables across the country.
Among the program’s success stories is Councillor Sophie Bougoure, who participated in the Queensland program at QUT, and now serves on the Western Downs Regional Council in Queensland.
Cr. Bougoure is a descendent of Kitty Warmuli, who married the brother of renowned Darug Nation Traditional Owner, Maria Lock. In the 1900s, Cr. Bougoure’s Indigenous family moved from Gamilaroi Country in NSW to the Western Downs region of Queensland.
Her grandfather was the chief executive and mayor of Tara Shire Council, and politics was a frequent topic of conversation when she was growing up, but the spark that ignited Cr. Bougoure’s political journey came in 2021, when she was approached by community members to save an aged care centre in Tara from closure.
Cr. Bougoure encouraged all women considering a career in politics to apply for the Pathways to Politics program, saying her experience taught her to “be honest and upfront with the community, and don’t waiver from your values.
Read the full story on the National Indigenous Times website.
Applications for the 2025 program are open
6 March – 1 May 2025
Apply online.
