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2024 Central Coast Council election

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Main article: 2024 New South Wales local elections
2024 Central Coast Council election
← 2017 14 September 2024 2028 →
All 15 seats on Central Coast Council
8 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party
 
Leader Belinda Neal N/A
Party Labor Liberal
Leader since 22 August 2024 N/A
Leader's seat Gosford West N/A
Last election 6 seats 4 seats
Seats before 6 2
  Third party Fourth party
 
Lawrie McKinna-2012.jpg
Sue_Wynn.png
Leader Lawrie McKinna Sue Wynn
Party Team CC Greens
Leader since 29 July 2024 7 July 2024
Leader's seat Gosford East Budgewoi
Last election Did not exist 0 seats
Seats before 0 0
Largest party before election

N/A

 Subsequent largest party

TBD

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

[edit]

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.[1]

The council was formed on 12 May 2016 as a "super council" after the state government merged the City of Gosford and Wyong Shire.[2] It is composed of five wards, each electing three councillors, totalling 15 councillors for the entire LGA.

2017 election

[edit]
A map of the five wards showing the 2017 election results
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.[3]

Administration and dismissal

[edit]

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.[4] 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".[5]

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.[6] At the commencement of the administration period, debt has reached just under $350 million.[7][8]

Persson was succeeded as administrator by former acting CEO Rik Hart on 13 May 2021.[9] As a result of being in administration, no election took place for Central Coast in 2021.[10]

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.[11] Although there were initially plans to hold a new election in September 2022, these did not eventuate.[12][13]

Candidates

[edit]

A total of 77 candidates contested the election.[14]

Belinda Neal, a former federal MP and senator, led Labor and contested Gosford West.[15]

Former Gosford mayor Lawrie McKinna led "Team Central Coast", which had candidates in every ward.[16] 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.[17] McKinna contested Gosford East, with former Liberal MP Pat Farmer running in second place on the ticket.[18][19]

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.[20][21]

In Gosford East, the Liberal Party had two candidates, instead of three, after missing the candidate nomination deadline.[22] The Liberals did also not endorse in Budgewoi, where former Wyong mayor Douglas Eaton led an Independent Liberal ticket.[23][24]

Central Coast NEW Independents, Ratepayers Choice Central Coast and Coasties Who Care all had one group each.[25][26][27]

Budgewoi

[edit]
Greens Independent Liberal Labor Team Central Coast Central Coast Heart Ungrouped
  1. Sue Wynn
  2. Chantelle Baistow
  3. Cath Connor
  1. Douglas Eaton
  2. Allan McDonald
  3. Greg Best
  1. Helen Crowley
  2. Joy Cooper
  3. Sarah Burns
  1. John Mouland
  2. Paul Wade
  3. Mitchell Cowan
  1. Edna Wacher
  2. Diana Lazatin
  3. Anabelle Alcanar
 Sandra Harris (Ind)
Kenneth Kozak (Ind)

Gosford East

[edit]
Team Central Coast Labor Liberal Ungrouped
  1. Lawrie McKinna
  2. Pat Farmer
  3. George Paterson
  1. Sharon Walsh
  2. Trevor Drake
  3. Victoria Collins
  1. Jared Wright
  2. Dee Bocking
 Clive Lawton (Ind)
Sharon Andrews (Ind)
Rosemary de Lambert (Ind)
David Kings (Ind)

Gosford West

[edit]
Team Central Coast NEW Independents Ratepayers Choice Liberal
  1. Daniel Abou-Chedid
  2. Paul Chapman
  3. Neil Ferguson
  1. Jane Smith
  2. Alison Wade
  3. Lisa Wriley
  1. Kevin Brooks
  2. Stephen Sizer
  3. Lee Erlin
  1. Trent McWaide
  2. Alan Pappas
  3. Kylie Lowbridge
Labor Coasties Who Care Ungrouped
  1. Belinda Neal
  2. Adam McArdle
  3. Mark Ellis
  1. Lisa Bellamy
  2. Sarah Blakeway
  3. Tegan Mulqueeney
 Julian Richards (Ind)
Andrew Baker (Ind. PHON)

The Entrance

[edit]
Labor Animal Justice Liberal Independent Team Central Coast Ungrouped
  1. Margot Castles
  2. Matthew Jeffrey
  3. Joan Pavitt
  1. Sarah Ryan
  2. Patrick Murphy
  3. Fardin Pelarek
  1. Rachel Stanton
  2. Stephen Hood
  3. Tracey Perrem
  1. Corinne Lamont
  2. Sam Carter
  3. Dale Long
  1. Sharryn Brownlee
  2. Skaie Hull
  3. Kalvin Smith
 Rebecca Smiley (Ind. PHON)

Wyong

[edit]
Liberal Team Central Coast Labor Ungrouped
  1. John McNamara
  2. Wade Russell
  3. Jennifer Ferguson
  1. Kyla Daniels
  2. Natasha Stone
  3. Alexander Burgin
  1. Kyle MacGregor
  2. Evan Schrei
  3. Melanie Gould
 Michael Whittington (Ind)
Daniel Craig (Ind)
Rosemary de Lambert (Ind)
Jara Millward (Ind)

Results

[edit]
See also: Results of the 2024 New South Wales local elections in Greater Sydney
2024 New South Wales local elections: Central Coast
Party Votes % Swing Seats Change
  Labor
  Liberal
  Independent Liberal
  Greens
  Team Central Coast
  Central Coast Heart
  Animal Justice
  Central Coast NEW Independents
  Ratepayers Choice Central Coast
  Independent
  Independent One Nation
 Formal votes
 Informal votes
 Total 15
 Registered voters / turnout

Budgewoi

[edit]
2024 New South Wales local elections: Budgewoi Ward
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Greens 1. Sue Wynn
2. Chantelle Baistow
3. Cath Connor
Independent Liberal 1. Douglas Eaton
2. Allan McDonald
3. Greg Best
Labor 1. Helen Crowley
2. Joy Cooper
3. Sarah Burns
Team Central Coast 1. John Mouland
2. Paul Wade
3. Mitchell Cowan
Central Coast Heart 1. Edna Wacher
2. Diana Lazatin
3. Anabelle Alcanar
Independent Sandra Harris
Independent Kenneth Kozak
Total formal votes
Informal votes
Turnout

Gosford East

[edit]
2024 New South Wales local elections: Gosford East Ward
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Team Central Coast 1. Lawrie McKinna
2. Pat Farmer
3. George Paterson
Labor 1. Sharon Walsh
2. Trevor Drake
3. Victoria Collins
Liberal 1. Jared Wright
2. Dee Bocking
Independent Clive Lawton
Independent Sharon Andrews
Independent Rosemary de Lambert
Independent David Kings
Total formal votes
Informal votes
Turnout

Gosford West

[edit]
2024 New South Wales local elections: Gosford West Ward[28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Team Central Coast 1. Daniel Abou-Chedid
2. Paul Chapman
3. Neil Ferguson
Central Coast NEW Independents 1. Jane Smith
2. Alison Wade
3. Lisa Wriley
Ratepayers Choice Central Coast 1. Kevin Brooks
2. Stephen Sizer
3. Lee Erlin
Liberal 1. Trent McWaide
2. Alan Pappas
3. Kylie Lowbridge
Labor 1. Belinda Neal
2. Adam McArdle
3. Mark Ellis
Coasties Who Care 1. Lisa Bellamy
2. Sarah Blakeway
3. Tegan Mulqueeney
Independent Julian Richards
Independent One Nation Andrew Baker
Total formal votes
Informal votes
Turnout

The Entrance

[edit]
2024 New South Wales local elections: The Entrance Ward[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labor 1. Margot Castles
2. Matthew Jeffrey
3. Joan Pavitt
Animal Justice 1. Sarah Ryan
2. Patrick Murphy
3. Fardin Pelarek
Liberal 1. Rachel Stanton
2. Stephen Hood
3. Tracey Perrem
Independent 1. Corinne Lamont
2. Sam Carter
3. Dale Long
Team Central Coast 1. Sharryn Brownlee
2. Skaie Hull
3. Kalvin Smith
Independent One Nation Rebecca Smiley
Total formal votes
Informal votes
Turnout

Wyong

[edit]
2024 New South Wales local elections: Wyong Ward
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal 1. John McNamara
2. Wade Russell
3. Jennifer Ferguson
Team Central Coast 1. Kyla Daniels
2. Natasha Stone
3. Alexander Burgin
Labor 1. Kyle MacGregor
2. Evan Schrei
3. Melanie Gould
Independent Michael Whittington
Independent Daniel Craig
Independent Jara Millward
Total formal votes
Informal votes
Turnout

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Central Coast (NSW)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  2. ^ "Central Coast Council". Stronger Councils. Government of New South Wales. 12 May 2016. Archived from the original on 8 June 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  3. ^ "Central Coast". ABC News. 9 September 2017. Archived from the original on 20 January 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  4. ^ Kontominas, Bellinda (30 October 2020). "NSW Government suspends Central Coast Council, appoints administrator over $89 million debt". ABC News. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  5. ^ "Two Liberal councillors bail out of Council". Coast Community News. 28 October 2020. Archived from the original on 14 November 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  6. ^ Hancock, Shelley (21 October 2020). "Central Coast Council facing suspension". Office of Local Government NSW. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  7. ^ Hancock, Shelley (30 October 2020). "Central Coast Council suspended". Office of Local Government NSW. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  8. ^ "Central Coast Council ends Administration period in strong financial position". Central Coast Council. 28 August 2024. Archived from the original on 30 August 2024. Retrieved 30 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.
  9. ^ "Administrator Appointment". Central Coast Council. 30 October 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  10. ^ "Central Coast". ABC News. 4 December 2021. Archived from the original on 12 November 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  11. ^ "NSW government sacks entire Central Coast council after inquiry into financial management". The Guardian. Australian Associated Press. 17 March 2022. Archived from the original on 14 November 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  12. ^ Raue, Ben. "Central Coast council election, 2021". The Tally Room. Archived from the original on 2 April 2024. Retrieved 31 August 2024. This election has been postponed until September 2022.
  13. ^ Catley, Yasmin. "Reinstate Central Coast Council elections for September 2022". Parliament of New South Wales. Archived from the original on 31 August 2024. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  14. ^ "Four former mayors and two former MPs among 77 candidates". Coast Community News. 21 August 2024. Archived from the original on 31 August 2024. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  15. ^ "Labor team ready to stand". Coast Community News. 22 August 2024. Archived from the original on 30 August 2024. Retrieved 30 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.
  16. ^ "TEAM CENTRAL COAST". Team Central Coast. Archived from the original on 30 August 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  17. ^ "New faces on Team Central Coast on Council ticket". Coast Community News. 7 August 2024. Archived from the original on 30 August 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  18. ^ "McKinna announces 15-person team to contest Council election". Coast Community News. 29 July 2024. Archived from the original on 30 August 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  19. ^ Adams, Edgar (8 August 2024). "McKinna takes full team to Central Coast Council election". Central Coast Business Review. Archived from the original on 30 August 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  20. ^ "Central Coast Green Council Candidate Launch". Central Coast Greens. Archived from the original on 30 August 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  21. ^ "Former Wyong councillor Sue Wynn to run in September". Coast Community News. 17 July 2024. Archived from the original on 30 August 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  22. ^ Raue, Ben. "Central Coast council election, 2024". The Tally Room. Archived from the original on 18 August 2024. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  23. ^ "Former mayor Doug Eaton runs as Independent". Coast Community News. 24 August 2024. Archived from the original on 31 August 2024. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  24. ^ "Douglas Eaton OAM". douglaseaton.org. Archived from the original on 31 August 2024. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  25. ^ "Jane Smith, Independent". Central Coast NEW Independents. Archived from the original on 31 August 2024. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  26. ^ "Our Candidates". Ratepayers Choice Central Coast. Archived from the original on 30 August 2024. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  27. ^ "Three Coasties Who Care to run for Council". Coast Community News. 8 August 2024. Archived from the original on 31 August 2024. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  28. ^ "ANDREW BAKER". New South Wales Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 17 August 2024. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
  29. ^ "REBECCA SMILEY". New South Wales Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 18 August 2024. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
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