Tammy Iliou, a member of the Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) Board since 2010, and former Vice President of the GCM made a statement following the announcement of the results, highlighting the slowly but steadily increasing presence of women on the board.
“Congratulations to Bill Papastergiadis and his team. I wish my many friends in the team all the very best for their new term serving one of the most historic and important organisations of the diaspora,” she said.
Acknowledging her good friends who were unsuccessful at this election and their contribution over many years she wished them well, adding that she will always support individuals and causes that work towards the benefit of the Community.
“I have mentioned it many times before, any person willing to contribute their time and skills in a voluntary capacity for community affairs must be commended,” she said, stressing that increasing pathways of women onto the GCM board should now be a priority.
“Just six women were elected out of 19 positions,” Ms Iliou noted.
“In the previous term, there were five women on the board and before that four women served. It seems that at every election, the number of women on the board increases by one. So if this trend was to continue, the GCM board should reach equality around 2032. Simultaneously, all women elected to serve will be new to the board. That’s a one hundred per cent turnover of women on the board.”
Asking what more evidence is needed that the board and the organisation need, in order to finally adopt strategies to retain and invite women to future GCM boards, she said that she believes that that new board and the diversity of the demographic will contribute to the GCM’s growth.
“I am hopeful that the women elected and more so the team as a whole, will make this one of their priorities. I stand to assist in any efforts,” she said.
