2021 South Gippsland Shire Council election

Last updated
2021 South Gippsland Shire Council election
Flag of Victoria (Australia).svg
←  2016 5-29 October 2021 2024  →
Turnout81.51%
 First partySecond partyThird party
 
IND
 Greens placeholder-01.png
IND
Party Independent Greens Ind. Liberal
Last election8 seats0 seats1 seat
Seats before710
Seats won901
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 2Decrease2.svg 1Increase2.svg 1
Popular vote20,0081,5181,277
Percentage92.95%7.05%5.93%

The 2021 South Gippsland Shire Council election was held in October 2021 to elect nine councillors for South Gippsland Shire, a local government area (LGA) in Victoria, Australia. [1]

Contents

This was the first election for the council since it was dismissed by the sacked by the state government in June 2019, which resulted in its scheduled 2020 election being delayed by a year. The only elected candidate who had previously served on the council was Mohya Davies, who was elected in 2012 but defeated in 2016. [2]

The Victorian Greens endorsed two candidates, while Liberal Party member Nathan Herseyn also contested the election. [3] The local Labor Party branch expressed interest, but did not end up endorsing any candidates. [4]

Background

Following the 2016 election and up until the council was dismissed, five different councillors resigned.

Maxine Kiel (Tarwin Valley Ward) tendered her resignation on 26 September 2018, with Rosemary Cousin − who had joined the Greens that month after contesting as an independent in 2016 − elected as her replacement following a countback. [5]

Liberal Party member Meg Edwards (Tarwin Valley Ward) resigned on 30 October, being replaced by independent James Fawcett the following month.

On 28 February 2019, both Fawcett and fellow councillor Lorraine Brunt (Strzelecki Ward) resigned. Brunt was replaced by Frank Hirst, however no candidate was initially declared elected as Fawcett's replacement at a 1 April countback, with Steve Finlay was elected a week later in a second countback. [6]

Councillor Jeremy Rich (Coastal-Promontory Ward) resigned on 22 April after being charged with "cultivating and trafficking a commercial quantity of cannabis". He was replaced by United Australia Party member Matthew Sherry. [7]

On 18 June 2019, the council was officially dismissed and three administrators appointed in place of elected councillors. A report into the council found there was "aggressive" councillor behaviour and suggested a "necessary" two-year break. As a result, South Gippsland was one of three LGAs without an election in October 2020. [8] [9]

Campaign

In September 2021, campaigning for the election began. Some, including dismissed councillor James Fawcett and Gippsland South MP Danny O'Brien, called for former councillors not to contest. [10]

Former mayor and councillor Don Hill, who decided to contest the election, was accused of using his newspaper, South Gippsland Voices, to promote his campaign. [11]

The election was conducted entirely by post and voting began on 5 October. After a large proportion of ballot papers did not arrive by the 22 October deadline, the Victorian Electoral Commission extended the voting deadline by one week. [12]

Results

2021 South Gippsland Shire Council election: Party totals [1]
PartyVotes %SwingSeatsChange
  Independent 18,73187.028Steady2.svg
  Greens 1,5187.050Steady2.svg
  Independent Liberal 1,5185.931Steady2.svg
 Formal votes21,52696.47
 Informal votes7883.53
 Total22,314100.0
 Registered voters / turnout27,37681.51

Coastal-Promontory

2021 South Gippsland Shire Council election: Coastal-Promontory Ward [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Scott Rae1,18819.71
Independent Mohya Davies1,11318.47
Independent Sarah Gilligan1,07617.85
Greens Mat Morgan79813.24
Independent David Liebelt77112.79
Independent Sue Plowright76312.66
Independent Anda Banikos3185.28
Total formal votes6,02797.40
Informal votes1612.60
Turnout 6,18877.85
Independent hold Swing N/A
Independent hold Swing N/A
Independent hold Swing N/A

Strzelecki

2021 South Gippsland Shire Council election: Strzelecki Ward [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Jenni Keerie1,81623.24
Independent Mick Felton1,39317.82
Independent Jim Forbes1,29916.62
Independent Liberal Nathan Hersey1,27716.34
Independent David Amor1,00312.83
Independent Frank Hirst5256.72
Independent Andrew McEwen5026.42
Total formal votes7,81596.07
Informal votes3203.93
Turnout 8,13582.51
Independent hold Swing N/A
Independent hold Swing N/A
Independent Liberal gain from Independent Swing N/A

Tarwin Valley

2021 South Gippsland Shire Council election: Tarwin Valley Ward [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent John Schelling2,33730.41
Independent Clare Williams1,67221.76
Independent Adrian Darakai7439.67
Greens Rosemary Cousin7209.37
Independent Don Hill6418.34
Independent Lindsay Love4235.50
Independent Jeremy Curtis4105.34
Independent Nicole Edwards-Galal3013.92
Independent Leslie John Harmer2943.83
Independent Andrew Corcoran1431.86
Total formal votes7,68496.16
Informal votes3073.84
Turnout 7,99183.53
Independent gain from Independent Liberal Swing N/A
Independent hold Swing N/A
Independent hold Swing N/A

Change in composition

Ward 2016 election Council before dismissal2021 election
CouncillorPartyCouncillorPartyCouncillorParty
Coastal-Promontory  Alysson Skinner Independent  Alysson Skinner Independent  Scott Rae Independent
 Ray Argento Independent  Ray Argento Independent  Mohya Davies Independent
 Jeremy Rich Independent  Matthew Sherry United Australia  Sarah Gilligan Independent
Strzelecki  Lorraine Brunt Independent  Frank Hirst Independent  Jenni Keerie Independent
 Andrew McEwen Independent  Andrew McEwen Independent  Mick Felton Independent
 Aaron Brown Independent  Aaron Brown Independent  Nathan Hersey Ind. Liberal
Tarwin Valley  Meg Edwards Ind. Liberal  Steve Finlay Independent  John Schelling Independent
 Don Hill Independent  Don Hill Independent  Clare Williams Independent
 Maxine Kiel Independent  Rosemary Cousin Greens  Adrian Darakai Independent

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">City of Ballarat</span> Local government area in Victoria, Australia

The City of Ballarat is a local government area in the west of the state of Victoria, Australia. It covers an area of 739 square kilometres (285 sq mi) and, in June 2018, had a population of 107,325. It is primarily urban with the vast majority of its population living in the Greater Ballarat urban area, while other significant settlements within the LGA include Buninyong, Waubra, Learmonth and Addington. It was formed on 6 May 1994 from the amalgamation of the City of Ballarat, Shire of Ballarat, Borough of Sebastopol and parts of the Shire of Bungaree, Shire of Buninyong, Shire of Grenville and Shire of Ripon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">City of Wodonga</span> Local government area in Victoria, Australia

The City of Wodonga is a local government area in the Hume region of Victoria, Australia, located in the north-east part of the state. It covers an area of 433 square kilometres (167 sq mi) and in August 2021, had a population of 43,253.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Gippsland Shire</span> Local government area in Victoria, Australia

The Shire of South Gippsland is a local government area in Victoria, Australia, located in the south-eastern part of the state. It covers an area of 3,296 square kilometres (1,273 sq mi) and, in June 2018, had a population of 29,576.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Local government in Victoria</span> Third tier of government in Victoria, Australia

Local government in the Australian state of Victoria consists of 79 local government areas (LGAs). Also referred to as municipalities, Victorian LGAs are classified as cities (34), shires (38), rural cities (6) and boroughs (1). In general, an urban or suburban LGA is called a city and is governed by a City Council, while a rural LGA covering a larger rural area is usually called a shire and is governed by a Shire Council. Local councils have the same administrative functions and similar political structures, regardless of their classification.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 New South Wales local elections</span>

The 2021 New South Wales local elections were held on 4 December 2021 to elect the councils of 121 of the 128 local government areas (LGAs) in New South Wales. Several councils also held mayoral elections and/or referendums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 New South Wales local elections</span>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Victorian local elections</span>

The 2020 Victorian local elections were held on 24 October 2020 to elect the councils of 76 of the 79 local government areas in Victoria, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 Victorian local elections</span> Local government elections in Victoria, Australia

The 2024 Victorian local elections will be held in October 2024 to elect the councils of 78 of the 79 local government areas (LGAs) in Victoria, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Victorian local elections</span> Australian elections

The 2016 Victorian local elections were held on 22 October 2016 to elect the councils of the 79 local government areas in Victoria, Australia.

This is a list of results for the 2024 New South Wales local elections in the Orana region.

This is a list of results for the 2024 New South Wales local elections in Outer Sydney including the Central Coast, though the region is considered to be separate from Greater Sydney.

This is a list of results for the 2024 New South Wales local elections in the Illawarra region.

This is a list of results for the 2024 New South Wales local elections in the Hunter Region.

This is a list of results for the 2024 New South Wales local elections in the South Coast and Southern Inland region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 Central Coast Council election</span> Election in New South Wales, Australia

The 2024 Central Coast Council election was held on 14 September 2024 to elect 15 councillors to Central Coast Council as part of the statewide local government elections in New South Wales, Australia.

This is a list of results for the 2024 New South Wales local elections in the Mid North Coast region.

This is a list of results for the 2024 Victorian local elections in the South-Eastern Melbourne region.

This is a list of results for the 2024 Victorian local elections in the Gippsland region.

This is a list of results for the 2024 Victorian local elections in the Hume region.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "2021 South Gippsland Shire Council election results". Victorian Electoral Commission.
  2. ↑ "South Gippsland overwhelmingly elects fresh faces for council dismissed in 2019". ABC News.
  3. ↑ "Preselection contest for Federal seat of Monash". South Gippsland Sentinel Times. 4 October 2023. Archived from the original on 12 October 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  4. ↑ "If anyone is interested in running for the South Gippsland Council elections please let me know as we might be able to help out". Facebook. South Gippsland ALP Branch. 20 August 2021. Archived from the original on 6 October 2024. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  5. ↑ "Rosemary Cousin, Greens candidate in South Gippsland, Australia". WikiNews.
  6. ↑ "South Gippsland council sacked: One councillor on drugs charges, another accused of misusing position". ABC News.
  7. ↑ "South Gippsland councillor Jeremy Rich charged after 21kg of cannabis discovered in police raid on family farm". ABC News.
  8. ↑ "South Gippsland council sacked". The Weekly Times.
  9. ↑ "Administrators appointed to run sacked Vic council". The Mandarin.
  10. ↑ "First South Gippsland Shire election after two years of administration looms". ABC News.
  11. ↑ "Don Hill accused of using South Gippsland Voices to boost council re-election campaign". ABC News.
  12. ↑ Raue, Ben. "Postal voting falls short in South Gippsland". The Tally Room.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.