2024 Central Coast Council election explained

See main article: 2024 New South Wales local elections. 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 was the first election for the council since September 2017, after it was placed into administration on 30 October 2020, missed the local elections in December 2021 and was eventually dismissed on 17 March 2022.

Background

Central Coast Council covers the entire Central Coast region, which has a population of 346,596 as of 2021. This makes it the third-most-populated LGA in New South Wales, behind only Blacktown and Canterbury-Bankstown.

The council was formed on 12 May 2016 as a "super council" after the state government merged the City of Gosford and Wyong Shire.[1] It is composed of five wards, each electing three councillors, totalling 15 councillors for the entire LGA.

2017 election

See main article: 2017 Central Coast Council election. At the 2017 election, the Labor Party won a plurality with six seats and 30.2% of the vote. Three independents, two members of the "Central Coast NEW Independents" group and four Liberals were also elected.[2]

Administration and dismissal

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.[3] 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".[4]

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.[5] At the commencement of the administration period, debt has reached just under $350 million.[6] [7]

Persson was succeeded as administrator by former acting CEO Rik Hart on 13 May 2021.[8] As a result of being in administration, no election took place for Central Coast in 2021.[9]

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.[10] Although there were initially plans to hold a new election in September 2022, these did not eventuate.[11] [12]

Electoral system

Like in all other New South Wales local government areas, Central Coast uses optional preferential voting. Under this system, voters are only required to vote for one group, although they can choose to preference other candidates.[13]

All elections for councillor positions are elected using proportional representation.[14] Central Coast has an Australian Senate-style ballot paper with above-the-line and below-the-line voting.[15] The council is divided into five wards, each electing five councillors.[16] [17]

Voting is compulsory for anyone on the New South Wales state electoral roll.[18] Property owners, rate-paying occupiers or lessees can apply to be on the "non-residential roll" in an LGA, as long as they are not already enrolled as a resident in that area and if they are eligible to be enrolled for state and federal elections.[19] Voting is not compulsory for those on non-residential rolls, although it is still compulsory in the LGA where they are on the residential roll.[20]

Candidates

A total of 77 candidates contested the election.[21]

Belinda Neal, a former federal MP and senator, led Labor and contested Gosford West.[22]

Former Gosford mayor Lawrie McKinna led "Team Central Coast", which had candidates in every ward.[23] Two of the group's candidates, Matt Simon (Gosford East) and Mark Ella (The Entrance), withdrew in early August and were replaced by George Paterson and Sharryn Brownlee respectively.[24] McKinna contested Gosford East, with former Liberal MP Pat Farmer running in second place on the ticket.[25] [26]

The Greens announced former Wyong councillor Sue Wynn as their lead candidate for Budgewoi on 7 July 2024, the only ward the party is contesting.[27] [28]

In Gosford East, the Liberal Party had two candidates, instead of three, after missing the candidate nomination deadline.[29] The Liberals did also not endorse in Budgewoi, where former Wyong mayor Douglas Eaton led an Independent Liberal ticket.[30] [31]

Central Coast NEW Independents, Ratepayers Choice Central Coast and Coasties Who Care all had one group each.[32] [33] [34]

Gosford West

NEW IndependentsRatepayers Choice
valign=top
  1. Daniel Abou-Chedid
  2. Paul Chapman
  3. Neil Ferguson
valign=top
  1. Jane Smith
  2. Alison Wade
  3. Lisa Wriley
valign=top
  1. Kevin Brooks
  2. Stephen Sizer
  3. Lee Erlin
valign=top
  1. Trent McWaide
  2. Alan Pappas
  3. Kylie Lowbridge
Coasties Who CareUngrouped
valign=top
  1. Belinda Neal
  2. Adam McArdle
  3. Mark Ellis
valign=top
  1. Lisa Bellamy
  2. Sarah Blakeway
  3. Tegan Mulqueeney
valign=topJulian Richards (Ind)
Andrew Baker (Ind. PHON)

Wyong

Results

See also: Results of the 2024 New South Wales local elections in Greater Sydney.

Party! style="width:70px;"
Votes%Swing SeatsChange
 60,88231.19+1.175 1
 47,23224.20-0.504
 38,86719.91+19.913 3
 7,3643.77+3.771 1
 Central Coast NEW Independents4,7442.43-7.971 1
 6,0293.09-4.710
 Ratepayers Choice Central Coast4,2392.17+2.170
 4,0322.06+2.060
 3,7991.95+1.950
 Independent One Nation7570.39+0.390
 12,9466.63-10.371 2
 Formal votes195,19691.53-0.74
 Informal votes18,0588.47+0.74
 Total 213,25410015
 Registered voters / turnout260,40881.89+6.29

Wyong

Referendum

Had the 2021 election gone ahead for the Central Coast, the electorate were to be asked whether the council should be reduced in size from 15 to nine councillors, and the wards reduced from five to three. With the postponement of the 2021 elections due to the administration of Council, the referendum was pushed back to the next election.[35]

In 2024, voters were asked whether the Council should reduce the amount of councillors from 15 to nine, reducing the wards from five to three, and thus each ward electing three councillors each. The referendum passed by a majority of 47,621, and as local government referenda are legally binding, the Council must implement these changes for the 2028 elections.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Central Coast Council. Stronger Councils. Government of New South Wales. 12 May 2016. 14 May 2016. 8 June 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180608042443/https://www.strongercouncils.nsw.gov.au/new-councils/central-coast-council/. dead.
  2. Web site: Central Coast . ABC News . 30 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240120194347/https://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/nswlg/2017/central-coast . 20 January 2024 . 9 September 2017.
  3. News: Kontominas . Bellinda . NSW Government suspends Central Coast Council, appoints administrator over $89 million debt . 30 October 2020 . ABC News . 30 October 2020.
  4. Web site: Two Liberal councillors bail out of Council . Coast Community News . 30 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231114085759/https://coastcommunitynews.com.au/central-coast/news/2020/10/two-liberal-councillors-bail-out-of-council/ . 14 November 2023 . 28 October 2020.
  5. News: Hancock . Shelley . Central Coast Council facing suspension . 30 October 2020 . Office of Local Government NSW . 21 October 2020.
  6. News: Hancock . Shelley . Central Coast Council suspended . 30 October 2020 . Office of Local Government NSW . 30 October 2020.
  7. Web site: Central Coast Council ends Administration period in strong financial position . Central Coast Council . 30 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240830232044/https://www.centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/council/media-release/central-coast-council-ends-administration-period-strong-financial-position . 30 August 2024 . 28 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..
  8. Web site: Administrator Appointment . 30 October 2020 . Central Coast Council . 13 May 2021.
  9. Web site: Central Coast . ABC News . 30 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231112211525/https://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/nswlg/2021/central-coast . 12 November 2023 . 4 December 2021.
  10. Web site: NSW government sacks entire Central Coast council after inquiry into financial management . The Guardian . Australian Associated Press . 30 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231114080913/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/mar/17/nsw-government-sacks-entire-central-coast-council-after-inquiry-into-financial-management . 14 November 2023 . 17 March 2022.
  11. Web site: Raue . Ben . Central Coast council election, 2021 . The Tally Room . 31 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240402002617/https://www.tallyroom.com.au/archive/nswcouncil2021/centcoast2021 . 2 April 2024 . This election has been postponed until September 2022..
  12. Web site: Catley . Yasmin . Reinstate Central Coast Council elections for September 2022 . Parliament of New South Wales . 31 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240831000234/https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/la/petitions/Pages/tabled-paper-details.aspx?pk=83912 . 31 August 2024.
  13. Web site: How votes are counted in a local government election . New South Wales Electoral Commission . 14 September 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240912063756/https://elections.nsw.gov.au/elections/how-counting-works/how-votes-are-counted-in-a-local-government-election . 12 September 2024.
  14. Web site: The many party systems of NSW councils . The Tally Room . 14 September 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240402002555/https://www.tallyroom.com.au/44180 . 2 April 2024 . 29 October 2021.
  15. Web site: NSW Local Government Elections Website . Antony Green's Election Blog . 14 September 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240521124507/https://antonygreen.com.au/nsw-local-government-election-website/ . 21 May 2024 . 22 November 2021.
  16. Web site: Raue . Ben . Ku-ring-gai council election, 2024 . 30 December 2023 . The Tally Room . 14 September 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240908105607/https://www.tallyroom.com.au/nswcouncil2024/kuringgai2024 . 8 September 2024.
  17. Web site: Fairfield council election, 2024 . 30 December 2023 . The Tally Room . 14 September 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240908105552/https://www.tallyroom.com.au/nswcouncil2024/fairfield2024 . 8 September 2024.
  18. Web site: Christie . Chloe . NSW, it's compulsory to vote this weekend . The Daily Aus . 14 September 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240914141913/https://thedailyaus.com.au/stories/nsw-will-hold-local-council-elections/ . 14 September 2024 . 13 September 2024.
  19. Web site: Electoral systems of Australia's parliaments and local government . Electoral Council of Australia and New Zealand . 14 September 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240627122450/https://www.ecanz.gov.au/sites/default/files/2021-10/1-electoral-systems.pdf . 27 June 2024 . October 2021.
  20. Web site: Non-residential rolls . New South Wales Electoral Commission . 14 September 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240525230332/https://elections.nsw.gov.au/getmedia/c3ec4668-59e3-4bdf-b195-dd71cef3be80/non-residential-rolls-information-for-councils.pdf . 25 May 2024.
  21. Web site: Four former mayors and two former MPs among 77 candidates . Coast Community News . 31 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240831005337/https://coastcommunitynews.com.au/central-coast/news/2024/08/four-former-mayors-among-77-candidates/ . 31 August 2024 . 21 August 2024.
  22. Web site: Labor team ready to stand . Coast Community News . 30 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240830140214/https://coastcommunitynews.com.au/central-coast/news/2024/08/labor-team-ready-to-stand/ . 30 August 2024 . 22 August 2024 . Former Federal MP and Senator Belinda Neal will lead a 15-person ticket for the Labor Party in the September 14 Central Coast Council election..
  23. Web site: TEAM CENTRAL COAST . Team Central Coast . 30 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240830132940/https://www.teamcentralcoast.com.au/ . 30 August 2024.
  24. Web site: New faces on Team Central Coast on Council ticket . Coast Community News . 30 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240830142915/https://coastcommunitynews.com.au/central-coast/news/2024/08/new-faces-on-team-central-coast/ . 30 August 2024 . 7 August 2024.
  25. Web site: McKinna announces 15-person team to contest Council election . Coast Community News . 30 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240830144132/https://coastcommunitynews.com.au/central-coast/news/2024/07/mckinna-announces-15-person-team-to-contest-council-election/ . 30 August 2024 . 29 July 2024.
  26. Web site: Adams . Edgar . McKinna takes full team to Central Coast Council election . Central Coast Business Review . 30 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240830143314/https://www.ccbusinessreview.com.au/blog/mckinna-takes-full-team-to-central-coast-council-election . 30 August 2024 . 8 August 2024.
  27. Web site: Central Coast Green Council Candidate Launch . Central Coast Greens . 30 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240830144621/https://www.centralcoast.nsw.greens.org.au/events/central-coast-green-council-candidate-launch . 30 August 2024.
  28. Web site: Former Wyong councillor Sue Wynn to run in September . Coast Community News . 30 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240830144357/https://coastcommunitynews.com.au/central-coast/news/2024/07/former-wyong-councillor-sue-wynn-to-run-in-september/ . 30 August 2024 . 17 July 2024.
  29. Web site: Raue . Ben . Central Coast council election, 2024 . The Tally Room . 18 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240818000743/https://www.tallyroom.com.au/nswcouncil2024/centralcoast2024 . 18 August 2024.
  30. Web site: Former mayor Doug Eaton runs as Independent . Coast Community News . 31 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240831011958/https://coastcommunitynews.com.au/central-coast/news/2024/08/former-mayor-doug-eaton-runs-as-independent/ . 31 August 2024 . 24 August 2024.
  31. Web site: Douglas Eaton OAM . douglaseaton.org . 31 August 2024.
  32. Web site: Jane Smith, Independent . Central Coast NEW Independents . 31 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240831005158/https://www.ccnewindependents.com/ . 31 August 2024.
  33. Web site: Our Candidates . Ratepayers Choice Central Coast . 30 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240830135439/https://ratepayerschoice.com/our-candidates . 30 August 2024.
  34. Web site: Three Coasties Who Care to run for Council . Coast Community News . 31 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240831012219/https://coastcommunitynews.com.au/central-coast/news/2024/08/three-coasties-who-care-to-run-for-council/ . 31 August 2024 . 8 August 2024.
  35. Web site: Administrator's Message - Referendum to proceed Central Coast Council . 2024-10-01 . www.centralcoast.nsw.gov.au . en.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "2024 Central Coast Council election".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2025, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.