2012 New South Wales local elections

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2012 New South Wales local elections
Flag of New South Wales.svg
  2008 8 September 2012 2016  
2017  
 First partySecond partyThird party
 
IND
Liberal Placeholder.png
Labor Placeholder.png
LeaderN/AN/AN/A
Party Independents Liberal Labor
Seats won927172152
Popular vote1,306,350748,349656,552
Percentage38.14%21.85%19.17%

 Fourth partyFifth partySixth party
 
Greens placeholder-01.png
UNI
CDP Placeholder.png
LeaderNo leaderNo leader Fred Nile
Party Greens Unity Christian Democrats
Last election1
Seats before0
Seats won3830
Seat changeSteady2.svg
Popular vote228,70815,00514,032
Percentage6.68%0.44%0.41%

 Seventh partyEighth partyNinth party
 
John Humphreys.png
Jim Saleam Australian nationalist (3x4 cropped).png
Communist Placeholder.png
LeaderJohn Humphreys Jim Saleam No leader
Party Liberal Democrats Australia First Communist
Last election000
Seats before000
Seats won211
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 2Increase2.svg 1Increase2.svg 1
Popular vote10,4926,4212,352
Percentage0.31%0.19%0.07%

The 2012 New South Wales local elections were held on 8 September 2012 to elect the councils of 150 of the 152 local government areas (LGAs) of New South Wales, Australia. Several councils also held mayoral elections and/or referendums. [1]

Contents

The elections were conducted by the New South Wales Electoral Commission, with the exception of 14 councils who chose to conduct their own elections or use the services of the private Australian Election Company. [2]

No elections were held in Shellharbour or Wollongong as electors had voted a year prior in 2011, following the sackings of both councils in 2008. [3] [4]

The Liberal Party chose not to contest the elections in Fairfield and Penrith, leading to Liberal councillors running as Independent Liberals. [5] [6]

More than 16 wards across the state were uncontested. [7]

Parties

The following registered parties contested this election. This does not include groups of independents:

In addition, a number of local government-registered parties also contested the elections. [8]

Party changes before elections

CouncilWardCouncillorFormer partyNew partyDate
Wagga Wagga UndividedGarry Hiscock  Independent   Business 20 July 2009 [9]
Hornsby Mayor Nick Berman  Liberal   Independent 11 November 2010 [10]
Newcastle Ward 4 Mike Jackson  Labor   Independent 16 February 2011
Newcastle Ward 4 Mike Jackson  Independent   Liberal 15 April 2011
Auburn First Ward Le Lam  Unity   Independent 2011
Ashfield South Morris Mansour  Liberal   Independent 2011 [11]
Uralla A Ward Isabel Strutt  Christian Democrats   Independent 2012

Results

PartyVotes %SwingSeats [a] Change
  Independents 1,306,35038.14927
  Liberal 748,34921.85172
  Labor 656,55219.17152
  Greens 228,7086.6838
  Independent Liberal 132,7563.8733
  Independent National 33,8820.9915
  Your Warringah 33,7570.985
  Clover Moore Independent Team 30,3520.894Decrease2.svg 1
  Independent Lake Alliance 26,2420.774
  Shire Watch Independents 20,6540.601
  Independent Labor 16,0610.4711
  Unity 15,0050.443
  Christian Democrats 14,0320.410
  Save Tuggerah Lakes 11,4650.332
  Shoalhaven Independents Group 11,1710.333
  Liberal Democrats 10,4920.312Increase2.svg 2
  Holroyd Independents 8,5670.252
  Eurobodalla Ratepayers Action 8,0590.234
  Lorraine Wearne 7,9140.232
  Residents First Woollahra 7,5020.225
  Totally Locally Committed 7,3640.212
  Liverpool Community Independents Team 7,3630.211
  Australia First 6,4210.191Increase2.svg 1
  Paramatta Independents 5,6280.170
  Living Sydney 5,5240.17+0.171Increase2.svg 1
  Community First 5,3860.161
  Residents Action For Auburn 4,9600.142
  Building Australia 4,4480.13+0.130Steady2.svg
  No Parking Meters 4,4460.130Decrease2.svg 1
  Bob Thompson 4,1400.121
  Serving Mosman 4,1280.122
  Woodville Independents 4,1180.120
  Community Service Environment 3,9770.121
  Democratic Labor 3,7000.111
  Manly Independents 3,6090.102
  Burwood Community Voice 3,5590.101
  Residents For Mosman 3,1550.091
  Our Sustainable Future 2,7920.082
  Albury Citizens and Ratepayers 2,7510.081
  Parramatta Better Local Government 2,6020.070
  Communist 2,3520.071Increase2.svg 1
  Sex Party 2,1490.06+0.060Steady2.svg
  Save Our State 8880.020
  Kogarah Residents 8040.020Steady2.svg
  Socialist Alliance 7240.020Steady2.svg
  Protectionist 2560.010Steady2.svg
  Family First 1260.010Steady2.svg
  Democrats 1030.010Steady2.svg
 Total [12] 3,425,343100.00

Aftermath

The Liberal Democrats had their first-ever electoral victories, with Jeff Pettett and Clinton Mead elected to Ku-ring-gai Council and Campbelltown City Council respectively.

The election of Tony Oldfield to Auburn City Council remains the only time the present-day Communist Party of Australia had had an electoral win.

Australia First councillor Maurice Girotto left the party in 2013 to sit as an independent, before joining the Christian Democrats in March 2016. [13]

Following the elections, major changes occurred as a result of the enactment of the Local Government (Areas) Act 1948 and as a result of a review by the NSW Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) that commenced in 2013. On 12 May 2016, following a further review by the Minister for Local Government and the independent Local Government Boundaries Commission, Premier Mike Baird announced Stage 1 starting with 19 new councils, through amalgamations and mergers, with immediate effect. The Minister indicated in principle support to create a further nine new councils, subject to the decision of the courts. [14] [15] On the same day, the Governor of New South Wales acted on the advice of the Minister, and proclaimed the 19 new local government areas. Another proclamation occurred a few months later with the amalgamation of City of Botany Bay and City of Rockdale. [16]

This resulted in 79 councils being contested in 2016 and 46 in 2017, before the vast majority contested together again in 2021.

By-elections

The New South Wales Electoral Commission held a number of by-elections to fill vacancies on councils after the 2012 elections up until 2016. [17]

CouncilWardBeforeChangeResult after preference distribution
CouncillorPartyCauseDateDatePartyCandidate%
Hurstville Hurstville 15 March 2014 Labor Brent Thomas57.59
Liberal Tim Feng [b] 30.44
Woollahra Double Bay 15 March 2014 Liberal James Keulemans55.80
Residents First Anne Crooks [b] 25.25
Willoughby Sailors Bay Gail Giles-Gidney Independent Liberal Elected as mayor 12 April 201414 June 2014 Independent Rachel Hill64.79
Independent Vache Kahramanian [b] 22.51
Brewarrina UnsubdividedJeanette Barker Independent DeathMarch 201421 June 2014 Independent Bill Loughnan56.48
Independent Tommy Stanton43.52
Leichhardt Birrabirragal/Balmain Melinda Manikas Liberal Death8 May 20142 August 2014 Independent John Stamolis60.61
Labor Aaron Di Pietro39.39
Woollahra Double Bay 23 August 2014 Independent John DoyleN/A
Elected unopposed
Cobar Unsubdivided23 August 2014 Independent Peter Abbott85.80
Independent Peter Florance14.20
Marrickville West Emanuel Tsardoulias Labor Death19 August 201423 August 2014 Labor Daniel Barbar50.08
Greens Justine Langford [b] 33.05
Blue Mountains First Ward 15 November 2014 Labor Sarah Shrubb53.71
Greens Kerry Brown46.29
Blue Mountains Second Ward 15 November 2014 Labor Victoria Arney53.01
Independent Rob Thompson46.99
Clarence Valley Unsubdivided21 February 2015 Independent Arthur LysaughtN/A
Elected unopposed
Newcastle Ward 3 21 February 2015 Labor Declan Clausen53.15
Independent Kath Elliott46.85
Ryde East 21 February 2015 Liberal Jane Stott52.77
Labor Penny Pedersen47.23
Wakool B Ward 5 March 2016 Independent David Landini N/A
Elected unopposed
Wakool C Ward Colin Membrey Independent ResignationDecember 20155 March 2016No candidate declared elected
Wakool C Ward N/AN/ANo candidate elected5 March 20169 April 2016 Independent Alan Mathers69.06
Independent Christine Dartnell30.94

Mayoral elections

2012 New South Wales local elections
Flag of New South Wales.svg
 20088 September 2012 2016  
2017  
 First partySecond party
 
IND
Labor Placeholder.png
LeaderN/AN/A
Party Independents Labor

 Third partyFourth party
  Liberal Placeholder.png Greens placeholder-01.png
LeaderN/ANo leader
Party Liberal Greens

The 2012 New South Wales mayoral elections were held on 8 September 2012 to elect mayors or lord mayors to 36 of the 152 local government areas (LGAs) in New South Wales. The elections were held as part of the statewide local elections. [18]

These were the last mayoral elections for Botany Bay, Canterbury, Greater Taree, Manly, Queanbeyan, Snowy River and Warringah − all of which were LGAs abolished in the 2016 local government proclamations. [19] [20]

Retiring mayors

Bellingen

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: Bellingen [24]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Mark Troy4,76965.5+29.0
Independent Wayne Wadsworth2,51734.5+34.5
Total formal votes7,28695.0
Informal votes5.0
Turnout 82.5
Independent hold Swing +29.0

Botany Bay

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: Botany Bay [25]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labor Ben Keneally 13,08863.6−36.4
Independent John Ryan3,25915.8+15.8
Independent Sherry Butt1,7688.6+8.6
Greens Alan Hough1,6998.3+8.3
Independent Charlie Trist7493.6+3.6
Total formal votes20,56394.9
Informal votes5.1
Labor hold Swing −36.4

Burwood

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: Municipality of Burwood Mayor [26] [27]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labor John Faker5,62644.38
Liberal Justin Taunton4,42027.74
Burwood Community VoiceLesley Furneaux-Cook3,38621.25
Independent David Wieley1,0576.63
Total formal votes15,93695.79
Informal votes7004.21
Turnout 16,63684.69
Two-candidate-preferred result
Labor John Faker7,94959.85
Liberal Justin Taunton5,33240.15
Labor win Swing

Eurobodalla

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: Eurobodalla [28] [29] [30]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Graham Scobie2,26610.6+2.5
Independent Fergus Thomson2,20910.3−10.7
Independent Lindsay Brown2,0179.4−2.8
Eurobodalla Ratepayers Noel (Tubby) Harrison1,6387.6+7.6
Eurobodalla First Rob Pollock1,6367.6−10.6
Eurobodalla Ratepayers Liz Innes1,4816.9+6.9
Greens Gabi Harding1,3726.4+6.4
Independent Phil Constable1,3646.4+6.4
Eurobodalla Ratepayers Ron Gifford1,0334.8+4.8
Independent Chris Vardon8854.1+4.1
Eurobodalla Ratepayers Michele Cameron8053.8+3.8
Eurobodalla Ratepayers Neil Burnside7073.3+3.3
Independent Alan Morton6713.1+3.1
Eurobodalla Ratepayers Milton Leslight6212.9+2.9
Eurobodalla Ratepayers Peter Schwarz6032.8+2.8
Independent Allan Brown5122.4−7.4
Independent Orit Karny Winters4972.3+2.3
Eurobodalla Ratepayers Gary Smith4422.1−2.9
Eurobodalla Ratepayers April Creed3381.6+1.6
Independent Chris Kowal2111.0−5.6
Independent Glenda Bishop1560.7+0.7
Total formal votes21,46494.2
Informal votes1,3255.8
Turnout 22,78982.4
Two-candidate-preferred result
Independent Lindsay Brown3,84550.7+50.7
Eurobodalla Ratepayers Liz Innes3,73749.3+49.3
Independent gain from Independent Swing N/A

Fairfield

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: Fairfield [31] [32]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labor Frank Carbone 44,64145.4−15.0
Independent Nhan Tran15,83316.1+16.1
Independent Liberal Zaya Toma8,7738.9−24.6
Greens Bill Cashman8,3718.5+8.5
Independent Sam Yousif7,9188.1+8.1
Christian Democrats Juliat Nasr7,2377.4+7.4
Unity Ken Yeung5,6475.7+5.7
Total formal votes98,45090.8
Informal votes9.2
Turnout 85.4
Two-candidate-preferred result
Labor Frank Carbone 49,04171.3+10.9
Independent Nhan Tran19,72728.7+28.7
Labor hold Swing N/A

Lake Macquarie

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: Lake Macquarie [33] [34]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labor Jodie Harrison37,20232.8+6.6
Independent Lake Alliance Wendy Harrison28,94425.6−35.6
Liberal Ken Paxinos25,36722.4+22.4
Independent Jim Sullivan9,8318.7+8.7
Greens Phillipa Parsons8,5037.5−5.1
Independent Arjay Martin3,4243.0+3.0
Total formal votes113,27693.8
Informal votes6.2
Turnout 84.2
Two-candidate-preferred result
Labor Jodie Harrison43,95652.2
Independent Lake Alliance Wendy Harrison40,29647.8
Labor gain from Independent Lake Alliance Swing

Nambucca

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: Nambucca [35]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Rhonda Hoban7,54669.8
Independent John Ainsworth3,26630.2
Total formal votes10,81296.0
Informal votes4.0
Turnout 80.5
Independent hold Swing

Newcastle

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: Newcastle [36]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Jeff McCloy 36,66343.1+43.1
Labor Nuatali Nelmes 24,12828.4+10.5
Greens John Sutton10,02111.8−2.2
Independent Aaron Buman6,2267.3−10.9
Independent Jacqueline Haines4,1864.9+4.9
Independent Bryan Havenhand2,2982.7+2.7
Independent Col Peebles1,4971.8+1.8
Total formal votes85,01994.7
Informal votes5.3
Turnout 82.5
Three-candidate-preferred result
Independent Jeff McCloy 38,32151.0+51.0
Labor Nuatali Nelmes 26,00934.6
Greens John Sutton10,88314.5
Independent gain from Independent Swing N/A

North Sydney

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: North Sydney [37]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Jilly Gibson11,89340.5
Independent Zoë Baker9,73133.1
Independent Suzanne Clarke-Nash7,74526.4
Total formal votes29,36993.5
Informal votes2,0406.5
Turnout 31,40974.1
Two-candidate-preferred result
Independent Jilly Gibson14,55956.8
Independent Zoë Baker11,06243.2
Independent gain from Independent Swing N/A

Queanbeyan

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: Queanbeyan [38]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Tim Overall TeamTim Overall10,38054.2+9.5
Labor Brian Brown3,00915.7+15.7
Independent Jamie Cregan2,70914.1+14.1
Independent Sue Whelan1,5468.1+8.1
Independent Ann Rocca1,5157.9−8.1
Total formal votes19,15995.1
Informal votes4.9
Turnout 76.3
Tim Overall Team hold Swing +9.5

Snowy River

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: Snowy River [39]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent John Cahill1,47042.3+42.3
Independent Peter Beer1,06930.7+30.7
Independent John Shumack93927.0+27.0
Total formal votes3,47895.8N/A
Informal votes4.2N/A
Turnout 77.7N/A
Two-candidate-preferred result
Independent John Cahill1,60656.5+56.5
Independent Peter Beer1,23643.5+43.5
Independent win Swing N/A

Sydney

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: Sydney [40]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Team Clover Clover Moore 34,90351.1−5.4
Liberal Edward Mandla 11,03116.1+2.1
Labor Linda Scott 7,12410.4−4.6
Living Sydney Team Angela Vithoulkas 6,7229.8+9.8
Greens Irene Doutney 4,4626.5−6.9
Sex Party Zahra Stardust2,2413.3+3.3
Independent Dixie Coulton1,3031.9+1.9
Housing Action Team Denis Doherty5570.8+0.8
Total formal votes68,34397.4
Informal votes2.6
Turnout 69.2
Team Clover hold Swing −5.4

Warringah

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: Warringah [41] [42]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Your Warringah Michael Regan 41,16156.3+36.7
Independent Liberal Pat Daley12,93517.7+17.7
Independent Vincent De Luca9,75613.4+6.4
Greens Conny Harris9,22212.6−1.6
Total formal votes32,80094.4
Informal votes1,9595.6
Turnout 34,759
Your Warringah hold Swing +36.7

Willoughby

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: Willoughby [43]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Pat Reilly17,47053.3
Independent Liberal Stuart Coppock15,33046.7
Total formal votes32,80094.4
Informal votes1,9595.6
Turnout 34,759
Independent hold Swing

See also

Notes

  1. Excluding directly-elected mayors.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Second-placed on primary vote as the by-election did not require preference distribution.

References

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  21. Moore, Matthew (14 March 2012). "Moore blasts O'Farrell for push to get her out of bearpit". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 12 May 2024. Mr Piper, who has already decided not to contest the September local government elections
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