Wagga women unveil all-female ticket for council election

The ticket candidates – in ballot order – include domestic violence and mental health researcher Andreia Schineanu, child caseworker Atlanta Hall, secondary school teacher Bianca Miller, aged-care professional Kerri Miller and health executive Jenni Campbell.

Lead candidate Andrea Schineanu said the ticket’s main objective is to represent the 50 per cent of Wagga residents ignored by the huge gender gap in the current council.

“Wagga’s population is not 90 per cent middle-aged, white businessmen,” Dr Schineanu said.

“Council’s strongest connection is with business because most of the current councillors are business people.

“We want to see more connection with other community groups including women, families, youth and the indigenous community.”

Dr Shineanu said the needs of Wagga families had been overlooked by successive councils.

“The men on council have families but they're all older and from a generation when men weren't as involved in the home,” she said. 

“We will offer a stronger focus on families and the interests of young people.

“For example, I have teenage boys and there’s nothing for them to do in Wagga on school holidays when it’s raining aside from laser tag and the movies, which cost the earth if you do them every day."

Wagga Women’s Alliance candidate Jenni Campbell made headlines just one week ago when she sensationally vowed to boycott voting – let alone running – in the election because there were too few female candidates with a realistic chance of being elected.

“I was really angry and wanted to boycott the election, but a fair few personal and professional networks asked what good could come of that,” Mrs Campbell said.

“In the course of one week four women stepped forward and said they wanted to run, so I had no choice but to round out the ticket as the fifth candidate.

"I could never have predicted how many incredibly strong and experienced women were considering running for council but needed that final push.”

Mrs Campbell pledged support for all female candidates running in electable positions, whether that be second on a ticket or as independents.

“(Independents) Mary Kidson and Anabel Williams are great candidates, as are Michelle Bray (Pascoe ticket) and Labor’s Vanessa Keenan,” she said.

“I want residents to remember voting above the line for a ticket with women is not the same as voting for women, because many of those women aren’t in winnable positions.”