2017 Central Coast Council election

Last updated
2017 Central Coast Council election
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All 15 seats on Central Coast Council
8 seats needed for a majority
 First partySecond partyThird party
  Labor Placeholder.png Liberal Placeholder.png
IND
Party Labor Liberal Independents
Last election5 seats6 seats6 seats
Seats won643
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 1Decrease2.svg 2Decrease2.svg 3
Popular vote57,26546,75132,279
Percentage30.2%24.7%17.0%
SwingIncrease2.svg 7.0Decrease2.svg 6.5Decrease2.svg 12.6
 Fourth partyFifth partySixth party
 
NEW
 Greens placeholder-01.png
STL
PartyNEW Inds. Greens STL
Last electionDid not exist1 seat2 seats
Seats won200
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 2Decrease2.svg 1Decrease2.svg 2
Popular vote19,77414,83410,986
Percentage10.4%7.8%5.8%
SwingIncrease2.svg 10.4Decrease2.svg 1.6Decrease2.svg 0.8
Central Coast wards map.svg
Results by ward
Largest party before election

N/A

Subsequent largest party

Labor

The 2017 Central Coast Council election was held on 9 September 2017 to elect 15 councillors to Central Coast Council. The election was held as part of the statewide local government elections in New South Wales, Australia. [1]

Contents

This was the first election for the council after it was formed in 2016 from a merger of the City of Gosford and Wyong Shire.

The Labor Party won the most seats out of any party, winning six out of 15. [2]

Background

Central Coast Council covers the entire Central Coast region, which has a population of 327,736 as of 2021. This makes it the third-most-populated LGA in New South Wales, behind only Blacktown and Canterbury-Bankstown. [3]

The council was formed on 12 May 2016 as a "super council" after the state government merged the City of Gosford and Wyong Shire. [4] It is composed of five wards, each electing three councillors, totalling 15 councillors for the entire LGA.

Candidates

A total of 93 candidates contested the election. [5]

Central Coast NEW Independents endorsed candidates in three wards (Gosford East, Gosford West and Wyong), while Next Generation Independents ran a ticket in one ward (Gosford East). [6] [7]

Results

2017 New South Wales local elections: Central Coast [8] [9] [10]
PartyVotes%SwingSeatsChange
  Labor 57,26530.2+7.06Increase2.svg 1
  Liberal 46,75124.7−6.54Decrease2.svg 2
  Independents 32,27917.0−12.63Decrease2.svg 3
 Central Coast NEW Independents19,77410.4+10.42Increase2.svg 2
  Greens 14,8347.8−1.60Decrease2.svg 1
 Save Tuggerah Lakes10,9865.8−0.80Decrease2.svg 2
 Fighting for the Forgotten North4,0122.10
 Next Generation Independents2,7891.50
  Animal Justice 5440.3+0.30Steady2.svg
 Sustainable Development4070.2+0.20Steady2.svg
 Formal votes189,64192.3
 Informal votes15,8937.7
 Total 205,53410015
 Registered voters / turnout250,81875.6

Budgewoi

2017 New South Wales local elections: Budgewoi Ward
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labor 1. Doug Vincent (elected 1)
2. Jillian Hogan (elected 2)
3. Rowen Turnbull		16,38743.3+12.2
Liberal 1. Garry Whitaker
2. Clive Sargeant
3. Rhiannon Beckers		6,30716.7−11.0
Independent 1. Greg Best (elected 3)
2. Maree Best
3. Amelia Best		6,15416.3
Fighting for the Forgotten North1. Julie Watson
2. Peter Harris
3. Gary Blaschke		4,01210.6
Greens 1. Sue Wynn
2. Greg Simmonds
3. Anna Durkin		2,9387.8−1.4
Save Tuggerah Lakes1. Helaine Taylor
2. Cheryl Deguara
3. Steve Beton		1,6334.3
Independent Michael McCarthy4331.1
Total formal votes37,86491.2
Informal votes8.8
Turnout 82.2

Gosford East

2017 New South Wales local elections: Gosford East Ward
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal 1. Rebecca Gale-Collins (elected 1)
2. Kerryanne Delaney
3. Colin Marchant		14,16537.4+0.3
Labor 1. Jeff Sundstrom (elected 2)
2. Victoria Collins
3. Jim Macfadyen		8,41222.2+2.9
Central Coast NEW Independents1. Jane Smith (elected 1)
2. Mitchell Lawler
3. Sue Chidgey		4,97713.1
Greens 1. Stephen Pearson
2. Robina Sinclair
3. Terry Jones		3,81910.1−0.1
Next Generation Independents1. Claire Braund
2. Diane Bull
3. Danielle Habib		2,7897.4
Save Tuggerah Lakes1. Patrick Aiken
2. Gary Lindahl
3. Denis Whitnall		1,9735.2
Independent Carol Fortey1,7154.5
Total formal votes37,85093.1
Informal votes6.9
Turnout 81.3

Gosford West

2017 New South Wales local elections: Gosford West Ward
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labor 1. Richard Mehrtens (elected 1)
2. Vicki Scott
3. Brad Ernst		9,69425.6+2.1
Liberal 1. Troy Marquart (elected 2)
2. Sue Dengate
3. Jack Wilson		8,41622.2−11.7
Independent 1. Chris Holstein (elected 3)
2. Lorraine Wilson
3. Bob Puffett		692018.3
Greens 1. Kate da Costa
2. Ruth Herman
3. Wendy Rix		3,83510.1−0.7
Central Coast NEW Independents1. Gary Chestnut
2. Farren Thornycroft
3. Lisa Wriley
4. Jean MacLeod		3,6769.7
Independent 1. Gabby Greyem
2. Helen Macnair
3. Sarah Rimmer		6,9207.8
Save Tuggerah Lakes1. Carl Veugen
2. Daniel Johnson
3. John Caska		1,3803.6
Animal Justice Skyla Wagstaff5441.4
Independent Christine Keene4141.1
Total formal votes37,83791.9
Informal votes8.1
Turnout 81.6

The Entrance

2017 New South Wales local elections: The Entrance Ward
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labor 1. Lisa Matthews (elected 1)
2. Greg Ashe
3. Margot Castles		10,48127.7+8.9
Liberal 1. Jilly Pilon (elected 2)
2. Deanna Bocking
3. Brian Perrem		10,00126.4−1.0
Independent Bruce McLachlan (elected 3)7,85920.7
Greens 1. Cath Connor
2. Doug Williamson
3. Barbara Gorman		4,24211.2+3.7
Save Tuggerah Lakes1. Lloyd Taylor
2. Glenn Clarke
3. Matthew Young		3,3758.9
Independent Nathan Bracken 1,3483.6
Sustainable DevelopmentKylie Boyle4071.1
Independent Aaron Harpley-Carr1710.5
Total formal votes37,88493.5
Informal votes6.5
Turnout 82.5

Wyong

2017 New South Wales local elections: Wyong Ward
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labor 1. Kyle MacGregor (elected 1)
2. Ruth Punch
3. Narelle Rich		12,29132.2+9.7
Central Coast NEW Independents1. Louise Greenaway (elected 2)
2. Laurie Eyes
3. John Wiggin		11,12129.1
Liberal 1. Chris Burke (elected 3)
2. Kishen Napier
3. James Wood		7,86220.6−9.0
Independent 1. Doug Eaton
2. Troy Stolz
3. Phil Collis		4,09410.7
Save Tuggerah Lakes1. Adam Troy
2. Kaylene Troy
3. Amber Davis		2,6256.9
Independent Sean Hooper2130.6
Total formal votes38,20691.6
Informal votes8.4
Turnout 82.1

Aftermath

This section is an excerpt from 2024 Central Coast Council election § Administration and dismissal.[ edit ]

In October 2020, it was revealed that the council was unable to pay 2,000 staff, and the council had a debt of $89 million. [11] On 26 October 2020, Liberal councillors Rebecca Gale-Collins and Troy Marquart resigned, stating they sought to "differentiat[e] themselves from those councillors wishing to show due cause to the minister as to why they should remain in local government". [12]

On 30 October 2020, then-local government minister Shelley Hancock announced the immediate suspension of the council and the appointment of former senior public servant Dick Persson as the new interim administrator. [13] At the commencement of the administration period, debt has reached just under $350 million. [14] [15]

Persson was succeeded as administrator by former acting CEO Rik Hart on 13 May 2021. [16] As a result of being in administration, no election took place for Central Coast in 2021. [17]

On 17 March 2022, the state government formally dismissed the council after a report on its financial management was tabled in the New South Wales parliament. [18] Although there were initially plans to hold a new election in September 2022, these did not eventuate. [19] [20]

References

  1. ↑ Raue, Ben. "Central Coast council election, 2017". The Tally Room. Archived from the original on 18 August 2024. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  2. ↑ "Central Coast". ABC News. 9 September 2017. Archived from the original on 20 January 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  3. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Central Coast (C)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 6 July 2017. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  4. ↑ "Central Coast Council". Stronger Councils. Government of New South Wales. 12 May 2016. Archived from the original on 8 June 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  5. ↑ Vale, Merilyn (7 September 2017). "Who to vote for: ward by ward – Central Coast local council elections". Central Coast Council Watch. Archived from the original on 21 March 2024. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  6. ↑ "We need New Independents for the future Central Coast Council!". Central Coast NEW Independents. 21 July 2017. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  7. ↑ "Next Generation Independents to stand in the Gosford East Ward". Coast Community News. 11 August 2017. Archived from the original on 1 September 2024. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  8. ↑ "Central Coast". New South Wales Electoral Commission. 9 September 2017. Archived from the original on 20 April 2024. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  9. ↑ "Central Coast election: Meet the candidates for Budgewoi Ward". The Daily Telegraph. Central Coast Gosford Express Advocate. 7 September 2017. Archived from the original on 1 September 2024. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  10. ↑ "Doug Eaton may have failed to be nominated". Coast Community News. 3 August 2017. Archived from the original on 1 September 2024. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  11. ↑ Kontominas, Bellinda (30 October 2020). "NSW Government suspends Central Coast Council, appoints administrator over $89 million debt". ABC News. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  12. ↑ "Two Liberal councillors bail out of Council". Coast Community News. 28 October 2020. Archived from the original on 14 November 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  13. ↑ Hancock, Shelley (21 October 2020). "Central Coast Council facing suspension". Office of Local Government NSW. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  14. ↑ Hancock, Shelley (30 October 2020). "Central Coast Council suspended". Office of Local Government NSW. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  15. ↑ "Central Coast Council ends Administration period in strong financial position". Central Coast Council. 28 August 2024. Archived from the original on 30 August 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024. Council's debt at the commencement of the administration period was just under $350M, due to having to take out two emergency loans, it now sits at less than $200M.
  16. ↑ "Administrator Appointment". Central Coast Council. 30 October 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  17. ↑ "Central Coast". ABC News. 4 December 2021. Archived from the original on 12 November 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  18. ↑ "NSW government sacks entire Central Coast council after inquiry into financial management". The Guardian. Australian Associated Press. 17 March 2022. Archived from the original on 14 November 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  19. ↑ Raue, Ben (5 May 2021). "Central Coast council election, 2021". The Tally Room. Archived from the original on 2 April 2024. Retrieved 31 August 2024. This election has been postponed until September 2022.
  20. ↑ Catley, Yasmin. "Reinstate Central Coast Council elections for September 2022". Parliament of New South Wales. Archived from the original on 31 August 2024. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
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