Wagga’s newest and youngest councillor Allana Condron is passionate about making change, starting on a local level. Photo: Supplied.
At the local government elections in September 2024, 27-year-old Allana Condron officially became the youngest woman to serve the community on the Wagga Wagga City Council, joining the ranks of other young women in local politics like Georgie Davies and Karissa Subedi.
She’s passionate about tackling domestic and family violence and building meaningful relationships between people, which led her to spend five and a half years in local government with Wagga City Council and working in HR. She’s also pursuing her MBA and enjoys spending time with her dogs on her days off.
Region caught up with her to find out how she’s finding her new role, what she hopes to achieve, her view on the recent polarising abortion debate and advice for young women who want to follow in her footsteps.
What surprised you about being a councillor?
I kind of knew what I was going into, which is probably a little bit different than other first-time councillors, perhaps, given I’d worked with councillors in previous roles. I think it’s mainly the switch in decision-making internally. It’s very, very different to obviously what comes past a council, but I think it’s a switch in understanding of the decisions that you’re making and the impact that can have on the community.
What’s a difficult vote or issue you have faced?
I think it’s more around just getting to know me. You know, because I’m younger, I don’t have that pre-existing brand yet. People don’t sort of know what I’m about, [my] personality and that sort of thing. So I guess just building that and showing people that I am genuinely there to make a difference, and I do genuinely care about people, which is why I worked in HR, that’s sort of led me there as well.
If there was one thing you could achieve for Wagga, what would it be?
I think there’s probably two big-ticket items for me. I’m really focused on equitable and respectful relationships, and I think that that’s in the workplace, it’s in the community, it’s at home, and I think, you know, building workplaces as advocates in that space would be incredibly, incredibly important to see for me, and I think that that lends itself to domestic and family violence rates as well, and looking to lower those.
What are your views on the recent bill passed which improves access to abortion?
I’m pro-choice. … So I think, you know, it’s your body, it’s your choice. I think that’s a great step in the right direction. I think it’s very important for people to have access to the right services. And, yeah, again, I think everyone should have the option of choice, and having more choices, particularly in regional and rural towns.
Outside of council, what’s an ambition you have more generally?
I think probably how passionate I am about making a change. I think it starts at local government. I’d love to make worldwide change one day, but I think it starts at a local level.
What’s a day like for you when you’re not busy being a councillor?
I work full-time. I’ve been HR manager for the past nearly two years, and outside of that, I’m studying an MBA, and I have two dogs that keep me very busy. I’ve got a German shepherd and he’s six, and I’ve got a little golden retriever, and she’s about four and a half months.
What advice would you give to another young woman considering running for council?
I think just give it a go. I think you’re constantly learning, and you never know until you put your hat in the ring. I think just you never know everything. So just give it a crack.
