2012 New South Wales local elections

2012 New South Wales local elections
← 2008 8 September 2012 2016 →
2017 →
  First party Second party Third party
 
IND
Leader N/A N/A N/A
Party Independents Liberal Labor
Seats won 927 172 152
Popular vote 1,306,350 748,349 656,552
Percentage 38.14% 21.85% 19.17%
  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
 
UNI
Leader No leader No leader Fred Nile
Party Greens Unity Christian Democrats
Last election 1
Seats before 0
Seats won 38 3 0
Seat change Steady
Popular vote 228,708 15,005 14,032
Percentage 6.68% 0.44% 0.41%
  Seventh party Eighth party Ninth party
 
LDP
AFP
Leader John Humphreys Jim Saleam No leader
Party Liberal Democrats Australia First Communist
Last election 0 0 0
Seats before 0 0 0
Seats won 2 1 1
Seat change Increase 2 Increase 1 Increase 1
Popular vote 10,492 6,421 2,352
Percentage 0.31% 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]

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

Council Ward Councillor Former party New party Date
Hornsby Mayor Nick Berman   Liberal   Independent 11 November 2010[9]
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[10]
Uralla A Ward Isabel Strutt   Christian Democrats   Independent 2012

Results

Main article: Results of the 2012 New South Wales local elections
Party Votes % Swing Seats[a] Change
  Independents 1,306,350 38.14 927
  Liberal 748,349 21.85 172
  Labor 656,552 19.17 152
  Greens 228,708 6.68 38
  Independent Liberal 132,756 3.87 33
  Independent National 33,882 0.99 15
  Your Warringah 33,757 0.98 5
  Clover Moore Independent Team 30,352 0.89 4 Decrease 1
  Independent Lake Alliance 26,242 0.77 4
  Shire Watch Independents 20,654 0.60 1
  Independent Labor 16,061 0.47 11
  Unity 15,005 0.44 3
  Christian Democrats 14,032 0.41 0
  Save Tuggerah Lakes 11,465 0.33 2
  Shoalhaven Independents Group 11,171 0.33 3
  Liberal Democrats 10,492 0.31 2 Increase 2
  Holroyd Independents 8,567 0.25 2
  Eurobodalla Ratepayers Action 8,059 0.23 4
  Lorraine Wearne 7,914 0.23 2
  Residents First Woollahra 7,502 0.22 5
  Totally Locally Committed 7,364 0.21 2
  Liverpool Community Independents Team 7,363 0.21 1
  Australia First 6,421 0.19 1 Increase 1
  Paramatta Independents 5,628 0.17 0
  Living Sydney 5,524 0.17 +0.17 1 Increase 1
  Community First 5,386 0.16 1
  Residents Action For Auburn 4,960 0.14 2
  Building Australia 4,448 0.13 +0.13 0 Steady
  No Parking Meters 4,446 0.13 0 Decrease 1
  Bob Thompson 4,140 0.12 1
  Serving Mosman 4,128 0.12 2
  Woodville Independents 4,118 0.12 0
  Community Service Environment 3,977 0.12 1
  Democratic Labor 3,700 0.11 1
  Manly Independents 3,609 0.10 2
  Burwood Community Voice 3,559 0.10 1
  Residents For Mosman 3,155 0.09 1
  Our Sustainable Future 2,792 0.08 2
  Albury Citizens and Ratepayers 2,751 0.08 1
  Parramatta Better Local Government 2,602 0.07 0
  Communist 2,352 0.07 1 Increase 1
  Sex Party 2,149 0.06 +0.06 0 Steady
  Save Our State 888 0.02 0
  Kogarah Residents 804 0.02 0 Steady
  Socialist Alliance 724 0.02 0 Steady
  Protectionist 256 0.01 0 Steady
  Family First 126 0.01 0 Steady
  Democrats 103 0.01 0 Steady
 Total[11] 3,425,343 100.00 – – –

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.[12]

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.[13][14] 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.[15]

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

By-elections

See also: 2014 Newcastle lord mayoral by-election

The New South Wales Electoral Commission held a number of by-elections to fill vacancies on councils after the 2012 elections up until 2016.[16]

Council Ward Before Change Result after preference distribution
Councillor Party Cause Date Date Party Candidate %
Hurstville Hurstville 15 March 2014 Labor Brent Thomas 57.59
Liberal Tim Feng[b] 30.44
Woollahra Double Bay 15 March 2014 Liberal James Keulemans 55.80
Residents First Anne Crooks[b] 25.25
Willoughby Sailors Bay Gail Giles-Gidney Independent Liberal Elected as mayor 12 April 2014 14 June 2014 Independent Rachel Hill 64.79
Independent Vache Kahramanian[b] 22.51
Brewarrina Unsubdivided Jeanette Barker Independent Death March 2014 21 June 2014 Independent Bill Loughnan 56.48
Independent Tommy Stanton 43.52
Leichhardt Birrabirragal/Balmain Melinda Manikas Liberal Death 8 May 2014 2 August 2014 Independent John Stamolis 60.61
Labor Aaron Di Pietro 39.39
Woollahra Double Bay 23 August 2014 Independent John Doyle N/A
Elected unopposed
Cobar Unsubdivided 23 August 2014 Independent Peter Abbott 85.80
Independent Peter Florance 14.20
Marrickville West Emanuel Tsardoulias Labor Death 19 August 2014 23 August 2014 Labor Daniel Barbar 50.08
Greens Justine Langford[b] 33.05
Blue Mountains First Ward 15 November 2014 Labor Sarah Shrubb 53.71
Greens Kerry Brown 46.29
Blue Mountains Second Ward 15 November 2014 Labor Victoria Arney 53.01
Independent Rob Thompson 46.99
Clarence Valley Unsubdivided 21 February 2015 Independent Arthur Lysaught N/A
Elected unopposed
Newcastle Ward 3 21 February 2015 Labor Declan Clausen 53.15
Independent Kath Elliott 46.85
Ryde East 21 February 2015 Liberal Jane Stott 52.77
Labor Penny Pedersen 47.23
Wakool B Ward 5 March 2016 Independent David Landini N/A
Elected unopposed
Wakool C Ward Colin Membrey Independent Resignation December 2015 5 March 2016 No candidate declared elected
Wakool C Ward N/A N/A No candidate elected 5 March 2016 9 April 2016 Independent Alan Mathers 69.06
Independent Christine Dartnell 30.94

Mayoral elections

2012 New South Wales local elections
← 2008 8 September 2012 2016 →
2017 →
  First party Second party
 
IND
Leader N/A N/A
Party Independents Labor
  Third party Fourth party
 
Leader N/A No 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.[17]

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.[18][19]

Retiring mayors

Bellingen

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: Bellingen[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Mark Troy 4,769 65.5 +29.0
Independent Wayne Wadsworth 2,517 34.5 +34.5
Total formal votes 7,286 95.0
Informal votes 5.0
Turnout 82.5
Independent hold Swing +29.0

Botany Bay

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: Botany Bay[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labor Ben Keneally 13,088 63.6 −36.4
Independent John Ryan 3,259 15.8 +15.8
Independent Sherry Butt 1,768 8.6 +8.6
Greens Alan Hough 1,699 8.3 +8.3
Independent Charlie Trist 749 3.6 +3.6
Total formal votes 20,563 94.9
Informal votes 5.1
Labor hold Swing −36.4

Eurobodalla

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: Eurobodalla[25][26][27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Graham Scobie 2,266 10.6 +2.5
Independent Fergus Thomson 2,209 10.3 −10.7
Independent Lindsay Brown 2,017 9.4 −2.8
Eurobodalla Ratepayers Noel (Tubby) Harrison 1,638 7.6 +7.6
Eurobodalla First Rob Pollock 1,636 7.6 −10.6
Eurobodalla Ratepayers Liz Innes 1,481 6.9 +6.9
Greens Gabi Harding 1,372 6.4 +6.4
Independent Phil Constable 1,364 6.4 +6.4
Eurobodalla Ratepayers Ron Gifford 1,033 4.8 +4.8
Independent Chris Vardon 885 4.1 +4.1
Eurobodalla Ratepayers Michele Cameron 805 3.8 +3.8
Eurobodalla Ratepayers Neil Burnside 707 3.3 +3.3
Independent Alan Morton 671 3.1 +3.1
Eurobodalla Ratepayers Milton Leslight 621 2.9 +2.9
Eurobodalla Ratepayers Peter Schwarz 603 2.8 +2.8
Independent Allan Brown 512 2.4 −7.4
Independent Orit Karny Winters 497 2.3 +2.3
Eurobodalla Ratepayers Gary Smith 442 2.1 −2.9
Eurobodalla Ratepayers April Creed 338 1.6 +1.6
Independent Chris Kowal 211 1.0 −5.6
Independent Glenda Bishop 156 0.7 +0.7
Total formal votes 21,464 94.2
Informal votes 1,325 5.8
Turnout 22,789 82.4
Two-candidate-preferred result
Independent Lindsay Brown 3,845 50.7 +50.7
Eurobodalla Ratepayers Liz Innes 3,737 49.3 +49.3
Independent gain from Independent Swing N/A

Fairfield

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: Fairfield[28][29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labor Frank Carbone 44,641 45.4 −15.0
Independent Nhan Tran 15,833 16.1 +16.1
Independent Liberal Zaya Toma 8,773 8.9 −24.6
Greens Bill Cashman 8,371 8.5 +8.5
Independent Sam Yousif 7,918 8.1 +8.1
Christian Democrats Juliat Nasr 7,237 7.4 +7.4
Unity Ken Yeung 5,647 5.7 +5.7
Total formal votes 98,450 90.8
Informal votes 9.2
Turnout 85.4
Two-candidate-preferred result
Labor Frank Carbone 49,041 71.3 +10.9
Independent Nhan Tran 19,727 28.7 +28.7
Labor hold Swing N/A

Lake Macquarie

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: Lake Macquarie[30][31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labor Jodie Harrison 37,202 32.8 +6.6
Independent Lake Alliance Wendy Harrison 28,944 25.6 −35.6
Liberal Ken Paxinos 25,367 22.4 +22.4
Independent Jim Sullivan 9,831 8.7 +8.7
Greens Phillipa Parsons 8,503 7.5 −5.1
Independent Arjay Martin 3,424 3.0 +3.0
Total formal votes 113,276 93.8
Informal votes 6.2
Turnout 84.2
Two-candidate-preferred result
Labor Jodie Harrison 43,956 52.2
Independent Lake Alliance Wendy Harrison 40,296 47.8
Labor gain from Independent Lake Alliance Swing

Nambucca

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: Nambucca[32]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Rhonda Hoban 7,546 69.8
Independent John Ainsworth 3,266 30.2
Total formal votes 10,812 96.0
Informal votes 4.0
Turnout 80.5
Independent hold Swing

Newcastle

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: Newcastle[33]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Jeff McCloy 36,663 43.1 +43.1
Labor Nuatali Nelmes 24,128 28.4 +10.5
Greens John Sutton 10,021 11.8 −2.2
Independent Aaron Buman 6,226 7.3 −10.9
Independent Jacqueline Haines 4,186 4.9 +4.9
Independent Bryan Havenhand 2,298 2.7 +2.7
Independent Col Peebles 1,497 1.8 +1.8
Total formal votes 85,019 94.7
Informal votes 5.3
Turnout 82.5
Three-candidate-preferred result
Independent Jeff McCloy 38,321 51.0 +51.0
Labor Nuatali Nelmes 26,009 34.6
Greens John Sutton 10,883 14.5
Independent gain from Independent Swing N/A

North Sydney

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: North Sydney[34]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Jilly Gibson 11,893 40.5
Independent Zoë Baker 9,731 33.1
Independent Suzanne Clarke-Nash 7,745 26.4
Total formal votes 29,369 93.5
Informal votes 2,040 6.5
Turnout 31,409 74.1
Two-candidate-preferred result
Independent Jilly Gibson 14,559 56.8
Independent Zoë Baker 11,062 43.2
Independent gain from Independent Swing N/A

Queanbeyan

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: Queanbeyan[35]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Tim Overall Team Tim Overall 10,380 54.2 +9.5
Labor Brian Brown 3,009 15.7 +15.7
Independent Jamie Cregan 2,709 14.1 +14.1
Independent Sue Whelan 1,546 8.1 +8.1
Independent Ann Rocca 1,515 7.9 −8.1
Total formal votes 19,159 95.1
Informal votes 4.9
Turnout 76.3
Tim Overall Team hold Swing +9.5

Snowy River

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: Snowy River[36]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent John Cahill 1,470 42.3 +42.3
Independent Peter Beer 1,069 30.7 +30.7
Independent John Shumack 939 27.0 +27.0
Total formal votes 3,478 95.8 N/A
Informal votes 4.2 N/A
Turnout 77.7 N/A
Two-candidate-preferred result
Independent John Cahill 1,606 56.5 +56.5
Independent Peter Beer 1,236 43.5 +43.5
Independent win Swing N/A

Sydney

Main article: 2012 Sydney City Council election
2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: Sydney[37]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Team Clover Clover Moore 34,903 51.1 −5.4
Liberal Edward Mandla 11,031 16.1 +2.1
Labor Linda Scott 7,124 10.4 −4.6
Living Sydney Team Angela Vithoulkas 6,722 9.8 +9.8
Greens Irene Doutney 4,462 6.5 −6.9
Sex Party Zahra Stardust 2,241 3.3 +3.3
Independent Dixie Coulton 1,303 1.9 +1.9
Housing Action Team Denis Doherty 557 0.8 +0.8
Total formal votes 68,343 97.4
Informal votes 2.6
Turnout 69.2
Team Clover hold Swing −5.4

Warringah

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: Warringah[38][39]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Your Warringah Michael Regan 41,161 56.3 +36.7
Independent Liberal Pat Daley 12,935 17.7 +17.7
Independent Vincent De Luca 9,756 13.4 +6.4
Greens Conny Harris 9,222 12.6 −1.6
Total formal votes 32,800 94.4
Informal votes 1,959 5.6
Turnout 34,759
Your Warringah hold Swing +36.7

Willoughby

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: Willoughby[40]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Pat Reilly 17,470 53.3
Independent Liberal Stuart Coppock 15,330 46.7
Total formal votes 32,800 94.4
Informal votes 1,959 5.6
Turnout 34,759
Independent hold Swing


See also

Notes

  1. ^ Excluding directly-elected mayors.
  2. ^ a b c d Second-placed on primary vote as the by-election did not require preference distribution.

References

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  3. ^ "Shellharbour is latest to join the ranks of sacked councils". Sydney Morning Herald. 10 July 2008.
  4. ^ "Enough evidence to sack Shellharbour Council: inquiry". ABC News. 12 June 2008.
  5. ^ "City of Fairfield election, 2016". The Tally Room. 25 August 2016.
  6. ^ "City of Penrith election, 2016". The Tally Room. 31 August 2016.
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  10. ^ "Meet the candidates in Ashfield-Djarrawunang". St George and Sutherland Shire Leader.
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  20. ^ 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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