Letter to the Editor: Samantha Stevens on how gender appears to divide the City of Albany council

It was enlightening to sit in the gallery during the February 24 City of Albany council meeting.

While city officials often use the right words regarding best practice, the voting patterns on the floor told a different story. Albany is currently in a unique position. We have two female councillors, Rebecca Stephens and Lynn MacLaren, who both bring significant State government experience to the chamber.

Crucially, they are also deeply grounded in local community organisations and have served on our council for a significant time.

In any professional environment, this expertise top-down strategy combined with bottom-up community knowledge is an asset to be leveraged. Last night, Cr Stephens provided a masterclass in the difference between informing the public and genuine community engagement.

This was mirrored by Cr MacLaren’s eloquent and grounded reasoning for the electors’ motion amendment.

It was a rare moment of united, high-level advocacy for better engagement standards.

However, what followed was disheartening.

When a vote splits along gender lines, it highlights a stark representational gap.

Albany city has a 100 per cent male executive team and a majority-male council. While many members bring valuable local knowledge, this is not balanced by an acknowledgement of the seasoned expertise of our most senior female representatives. As we move through the 2026 Bicentenary year, the majority of Albany councillors need to move out of their closed shop and practise agility in their thinking.

Albany needs a leadership culture that integrates all the expertise in the room.

To do otherwise is to leave the best brains in the back room.

Samantha Stevens, Robinson

Letters to the editor must contain the author’s full name, address and daytime contact number. Letters may be edited for space, clarity or legal reasons. Email news@albany advertiser.com or post to PO Box 5168 Albany, WA, 6332.