Coral Ross

Coral Ross is passionate about gender equality and local government. She is the Chair of the Australian Gender Equality Council and has had an esteemed career in local government. Coral was previously the National President of the Australian Local Government Women’s Association and ALGWA Victorian President; she is currently the National Vice President. A professional journalist with more than 20 years’ experience, Coral was a local government councillor at the City of Boroondara, in Metropolitan Melbourne for more than 18 years and served as Mayor of the City of Boroondara three times. Until October 2020 Coral was the President of the Municipal Association of Victoria – Victoria’s peak body for local government was on the Board of the Australian Local Government Association, the peak body for local government in Australia.

Coral was awarded Churchill Fellowship in 2018 to improve gender equality in local government by increasing the number of women councillors. She found that whilst there are many overseas programmes to elect women which can be implemented in Australia, parity will not be achieved until the systemic and cultural barriers which prevent women being elected are addressed. In 2019 Coral was inducted into the Victorian Women’s Honour Roll and in 2014 she was named as one of the 100 Women of Influence by Westpac/Fairfax. She is also a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.