1947 New South Wales local elections

For the state election held in May, see 1947 New South Wales state election.

1947 New South Wales local elections
← 1944 6 December 1947 1950 →

The 1947 New South Wales local elections were held on 6 December 1947 to elect the councils of the local government areas (LGAs) in New South Wales.[1]

This was the first time that voting in local elections was compulsory. The reforms were introduced by the state Labor government, seen as an attempt to give them an advantage and harm the Australian Communist Party (who had 16 candidates elected in 1944).[2]

The majority of Communist councillors elected in 1944 were defeated, including all five on Kearsley Shire Council, where the party had held a majority.[2][3]

The election for Sydney City Council was delayed by a year until 1948.[4]

References

  1. ^ "Municipal Voting Compulsory on Saturday". Trove. Daily Advertiser.
  2. ^ a b Mowbray, Martin (November 1986). "The Red Shire of Kearsley, 1944-1947: Communists in Local Government" (PDF). Labour History. 51 (51). Australian Society for the Study of Labour History, Inc.: 83–94. doi:10.2307/27508799. JSTOR 27508799. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 April 2018.
  3. ^ "LABOUR'S BID FAILS IN NEWCASTLE". Newcastle Morning Herald And Miners' Advocate. No. 22, 209. New South Wales, Australia. 8 December 1947. p. 1 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "City Elections". City of Sydney. Kings Cross Times. The usual triennial municipal elections due December 1947, were postponed by the Government for 12 months.