Jump to content

Shire Watch Independents

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Shire Watch Independents
Abbreviation
  • SWI
  • Shire Watch
FoundersJohn Levett and 5 others
Founded1999
Dissolved10 August 2016
IdeologyAnti-overdevelopment[1][2]
Political positionCentre-left[3]
Sutherland Shire Council
5 / 15
(2008−2011)

Shire Watch Independents (SWI), also known simply as Shire Watch, was an Australian political party that contested local government elections for Sutherland Shire in New South Wales.[4]

The party was in an alliance with the Labor Party from 1999 until 2004, and again from 2008 until 2011.[5]

History

[edit]

Shire Watch was founded by a group of six residents ahead of the 1999 local government elections.[6] At the election on 11 September, the party won four seats, which was enough to defeat the incumbent Liberal Party majority and form an alliance with Labor.[7] Shire Watch councillor Tracie Sonda served as mayor from 2000 until 2002.[8]

In 2004, the Liberal Party won seven seats while Shire Watch won four.[3]

At the 2008 election, the Liberal Party did not formally endorse candidates. Four Independent Liberals were elected, however the Shire Watch−Labor alliance won a majority, with five candidates from Shire Watch and three from Labor elected.[3] Shire Watch councillor Lorraine Kelly was elected by councillors as mayor following the elections, and remained in the role until 2010.[8]

In 2011, the Shire Watch−Labor alliance broke down after Shire Watch councillor Carol Provan left the party and allied with the Independent Liberals, who assisted in electing her mayor.[3]

At the 2012 election, Shire Watch lost four of its seats, and Peter Towell was the only member of the party re-elected.[3][9]

On 10 August 2016, Towell announced he would contest the 2016 election as an independent candidate, thus dissolving Shire Watch.[10]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Struggle for Power in Sutherland Shire Conflict between and within the Shire's political parties". Sutherland Shire Environment Centre. Archived from the original on 14 May 2024. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
  2. ^ "High-rise in Shire Watch sights". St George & Sutherland Shire Leader. 16 July 2012.
  3. ^ a b c d e Raue, Ben (23 August 2016). "Sutherland Shire election, 2016". The Tally Room. Archived from the original on 14 May 2024. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
  4. ^ "Progressives supported in NSW council elections". Green Left. 20 September 2008.
  5. ^ Raue, Ben (5 May 2021). "Sutherland Shire election, 2021". The Tally Room.
  6. ^ "John Levett – Ward 2". Greens on Council. Archived from the original on 14 May 2024. Retrieved 14 May 2024. John was one of six founding members of Shire Watch Independents
  7. ^ "OVERDEVELOPMENT Is it being checked?". Sutherland Shire Environment Centre. Archived from the original on 14 May 2024. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Historical list of mayors and councillors" (PDF). SSC. Sutherland Shire Council. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  9. ^ "PROVAN IN TIGHT ELECTION CONTEST IN SHIRE". 2SSR 99.7FM. 2012.
  10. ^ "Peter Towell won't be standing under the Shire Watch banner in the 2016 Sutherland Shire Council election". St George & Sutherland Shire Leader. 10 August 2016. Retrieved 14 May 2024.