Michael John Regan (born 1973) is an Australian politician and former public servant. He was mayor of Warringah Council from 13 September 2008 to May 2016 following its amalgamation into the Northern Beaches Council. In September 2017,Regan was elected as the first Mayor of Northern Beaches Council,holding office until May 2023. At the March 2023 state election,Regan was elected to the NSW Legislative Assembly seat of Wakehurst,which covers a large portion of the area of Northern Beaches Council.
Wake Up Warringah/Your Warringah Party Warringah Council seats
2008 Election
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2012 Election
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Regan was elected as mayor at the election on 13 September 2008 with 19.6% of the vote which meant that his ticket votes in C Ward flowed on to elect a councillor,while Wake Up Warringah candidates won a seat on A Ward and B Ward.[4] Regan's main platform for election was to run "Council as a ‘Board of Directors’" to expunge the council's previous reputation for infighting and to encourage the better management of council.[5] In August 2012,Regan and his wife Bronwen,gained attention over a council code-of-conduct matter where a fellow councillor had launched into a tirade at the mayoress in the councillors lounge in the Civic Centre following a council meeting.[6]
At the 2012 New South Wales local elections,Regan stood again for mayor and C Ward Councillor under the newly renamed "Your Warringah" ticket. Regan was re-elected as mayor with 56.3% of the vote and his ticket in C Ward took 60% of the vote,enough to elect two councillors on his personal ticket. Your Warringah candidates also took two seats in A Ward and one seat in B Ward to make six seats for his party on the council.[7][8]
In March 2014,Regan's administration of council was criticised for maintaining a $1.7million council car budget which included a Jaguar XF as the mayoral car,while requesting a 24 per-cent rate rise over four years.[9] October 2014,Regan replaced this car with an eco-friendly Mitsubishi OutlanderPHEV.[10] In June 2014,the Independent and Regulatory Pricing Tribunal (IPART) rejected the requested special rate variation of 26.2%,but permitted an increase of 19.7%.[11]
In December 2014,Regan led a push within council to pass a motion to support a merger proposal of Warringah with Pittwater and Manly Councils to form a Northern Beaches council:"It would mean better value for rate payers and better ability to plan for the entire region. Concerns about loss of local representation are a red herring –as this can be maintained,and even increased,depending on the governance model that is adopted. I call upon our neighbours to support the recommendation for the creation of a new northern beaches council for our community."[12]
In March 2015,Regan passed through a proposal in the council to lease council land at Dee Why for affordable housing,despite a staff report that noted that it would not provide the best financial return. Regan argued that it was intended to be provided for nurses,teachers and police who often had large commuting times to the region as they could not afford to live in the area,and that the social benefits could not be underestimated.[13] In October 2015,Warringah Council was awarded by Local Government NSW the A. R. Bluett Memorial Award,which recognises the best-performing council in the state,an acknowledgment of the work of the council under Regan and council staff:"Warringah Council’s submission highlights included excellent infrastructure renewal programs,high resident satisfaction,a sound financial position,a range of organisational improvements,staff engagement and professional development,collaboration with community groups and other organisations,an active youth program,art and cultural projects,environmental and planning initiatives,and specific community infrastructure such as the Narrabeen Lagoon Trail,Collaroy All Abilities Playground and Forestville Sporting Facilities."[14]
Northern Beaches Council
Political party
Your Northern Beaches Independent Team Council seats
2017 Election
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2021 Election
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On 12 May 2016,with the release of the Local Government (Council Amalgamations) Proclamation 2016,the Northern Beaches Council was formed as per Warringah's submission,from Manly,Pittwater and Warringah councils.[15] At the first meeting of the new council at Manly Town Hall on 19 May,Regan was appointed,with Manly mayor Jean Hay and Pittwater Deputy Mayor Kylie Ferguson,by Administrator Dick Persson as a member of the Implementation Advisory Group,one of several advisory committees composed of former councillors and mayors of the three councils,and as Chair of the Economic Committee.[16]
In early 2017,Regan announced that he had registered a successor to his "Your Warringah" team in anticipation of running for the council elections scheduled for September 2017. The "Your Northern Beaches Independent Team" would field 15 candidates,with Regan expressing interest in serving as mayor. Regan has supported changing the mayoral position to a directly elected one,following the system when he was Warringah mayor.[17] At the council election on 9 September 2017,Regan was elected in the first position as a Councillor for Curl Curl Ward,while five other Your Northern Beaches councillors were elected including former deputy Roslyn Harrison in Frenchs Forest Ward,whose personal vote was enough to elect a second councillor,Penny Philpott,former deputy Sue Heins in Narrabeen Ward,former Pittwater Deputy Mayor Ian White in Pittwater Ward,and Sarah Grattan in Manly Ward.[18][19] The campaign leading up to the election was marked by several attempts by the Liberal Party to smear independent candidates,which Regan labelled "gutter politics":"It is a sad day when they try to bring this into a local government election. Frankly,the community is over negative politics,which is why they are unresponsive to politicians in general. It is not parliament. There is no opposition leader. We are supposed to be here for the community."[20]
At the council meeting held at Dee Why Civic Centre on 26 September 2017,Regan was elected as the first Mayor of Northern Beaches Council for a two-year term,alongside Deputy Mayor Candy Bingham.[21][22] He was re-elected for a second term on 24 September 2019 and a third term on 28 September 2021.[23][24] From October 2017 to October 2019,Regan was a Board Director of Local Government NSW.[25]
At the second Northern Beaches Council election held on 4 December 2021,the Your Northern Beaches Independent Team ran a full list of candidates,with Regan moving ward from Curl Curl to Frenchs Forest Ward. Regan and the Your Northern Beaches Independent Team successfully defended all six incumbent seats at the election with a swing of +1.4%.[26][27] In October 2022,Northern Beaches Council was awarded the A. R. Bluett Memorial Award by Local Government NSW,which recognises the best-performing councils in the state in the previous year,with Regan noting:"Since amalgamation we have had a huge focus on repairing and renewing ailing infrastructure,delivering long term financial stability and putting the community at the centre of everything we do. It hasn’t been easy but this award recognises the hard work and dedication of both the elected Council and our incredible staff to deliver great outcomes for our community." The chair of the award trustees,Les McMahon,also noted that the Council had "led its community through a number of challenges including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and unprecedented wet weather events. Despite the challenges,Northern Beaches Council was still able to deliver a $76 million capital works program,with a focus on resilient and sustainable infrastructure,while also undertaking a comprehensive community services program to assist all members of its community".[28][29]
State politics
In January 2023,Regan announced that he would run as an Independent candidate for the NSW Legislative Assembly seat of Wakehurst at the March 2023 state election,which was a safe Liberal seat held by the retiring Minister for Health,Brad Hazzard,since 1991.[30][31][32] Regan noted that the decision of the NSW Government-appointed planning panel to approve a planning proposal for a large 450-dwelling residential subdivision in an area of native bushland known as "Lizard Rock" in Belrose,despite the loss of native bushland and housing development in a bushfire-prone area that it represented,encouraged him to stand on a platform that included advocating for sustainable development.[33][34]
On 25 March 2023,Regan was successful in his campaign to win the seat,gaining a 2CP swing of 27.2%,becoming only the second non-Liberal and the first independent candidate to win the seat.[35][36][37] On his election,Regan announced that he would advocate for "gambling reform,integrity in politics and rebates for solar panels,as well as issues that were close to the hearts of his constituents on the Northern Beaches:roads,buses and the mental health services at Northern Beaches Hospital."[38] He delivered his inaugural speech as an MP on 10 May 2023.[2]
As an elected member of parliament,Regan is permitted to retain his offices as mayor and councillor of Northern Beaches Council "for the balance of the person’s term of office as a councillor or for the period of 2 years (whichever is the shorter period)" in accordance with Section 275(5) of the Local Government Act,1993,a requirement which came into effect following the passage of the Local Government Amendment (Members of Parliament) Act,2012.[39][40] On 16 May 2023,Regan resigned as mayor,but announced his intention to remain as a councillor for the rest of the Council term.[41][42][43]
Related Research Articles
The Northern Beaches is a region within Northern Sydney,in the state of New South Wales,Australia,near the Pacific coast. This area extends south to the entrance of Port Jackson,west to Middle Harbour and north to the entrance of Broken Bay. The area was formerly inhabited by the Garigal or Caregal people in a region known as Guringai country.
Pittwater Council was a local government area on the Northern Beaches of Sydney,in the state of New South Wales,Australia. It covered a region adjacent to the Tasman Sea about 30 kilometres (19 mi) north of the Sydney central business district. The area is named after Pittwater,the body of water adjacent to much of the area governed. First proclaimed in 1906 as the A Riding of Warringah Shire,the area was proclaimed as the Municipality of Pittwater on 1 May 1992. On 12 May 2016,the Minister for Local Government announced that Pittwater Council would be subsumed into the newly formed Northern Beaches Council. The last mayor of Pittwater Council was Councillor Jacqui Townsend,an independent politician.
Warringah Council was a local government area in the northern beaches region of Sydney,in the state of New South Wales,Australia. It was proclaimed on 7 March 1906 as the Warringah Shire Council,and became "Warringah Council" in 1993. In 1992,Pittwater Council was formed when the former A Riding of Warringah Shire voted to secede. From this point on until amalgamation,Warringah Council administered 152 square kilometres (59 sq mi) of land,including nine beaches and 14 kilometres (9 mi) of coastline. Prior to its abolition it contained 6,000 hectares of natural bushland and open space,with Narrabeen Lagoon marking Warringah's northern boundary and Manly Lagoon marking the southern boundary.
Dee Why is a coastal suburb of northern Sydney,in the state of New South Wales,Australia,18 kilometres north-east of the Sydney central business district. It is the administrative centre of the local government area of Northern Beaches Council and,along with Brookvale,is considered to be the main centre of the Northern Beaches region.
Manly Council was a local government area on the northern beaches region of Sydney,New South Wales,Australia,first incorporated in 1877. On 12 May 2016,the Minister for Local Government announced that Manly Council would be subsumed into the newly formed Northern Beaches Council. The last mayor of Manly Council was Cr. Jean Hay,a member of the Liberal Party.
Mosman Council is a local government area on the Lower North Shore of Sydney,New South Wales,Australia.
The Electoral district of Wakehurst is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It covers a significant part of Sydney's Northern Beaches as well as parts of the Forest District. Created in 1962,it has been won by the Liberal Party at all but three elections over the last half-century.
Alexander John McTaggart is an Australian politician who was an independent member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Pittwater between 2005 and 2007. At the time of his election,McTaggart was also the Mayor of Pittwater Council.
Thomas Stephen Webster,is a property valuer and former Labor Party local councillor and member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly,representing the electorate of Wakehurst from 1978 to 1984.
Julie Sutton is an Australian former politician,teacher and Marriage Celebrant,elected as a Councillor of Warringah Council and was previously Mayor of Warringah from 1995 to 1996 and 2002 to 2003.
Robert Gary Giltinan OAM is an Australian former professional tennis player who was a grass court specialist. He won one singles title and two doubles titles over a twelve-year career spanning the introduction of the open era in 1968 to 1979. He reached a career-high ranking of World No. 16.
Paul Couvret was a Dutch–Australian military veteran,New South Wales schoolteacher and local Councillor. He was a Councillor on Warringah Council from 1973 to 1995 and was Shire President from 1979 to 1983.
The Northern Beaches Council is a local government area located in the Northern Beaches region of Sydney,in the state of New South Wales,Australia. The council was formed on 12 May 2016 after the amalgamation of Manly,Pittwater,and Warringah councils.
Jean Frances Hay is an Australian local government politician. She served as the Mayor of Manly Council from 1999 to 2004 and was the last mayor of Manly from 8 September 2008 to 12 May 2016,following Manly's amalgamation into the new Northern Beaches Council.
Roderick Gilmore Amon is an Australian politician who served as the member for Pittwater in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from March 2023 until he was charged with child sex offences and resigned from parliament on 30 August 2024. He previously served as a councillor on Northern Beaches Council from 2017 to 2023.
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.
Your Northern Beaches Independent Team (YNBIT),also known simply as Your Northern Beaches (YNB),is an Australian political party that contests local government elections for Northern Beaches Council in New South Wales. It was founded in 2017 by former Warringah mayor Michael Regan,who currently serves as a councillor and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly.
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.
A by-election for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Pittwater was held on 19 October 2024,following the resignation of Liberal MP Rory Amon.
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