2017 New South Wales local elections

The 2017 New South Wales local elections were held on 9 September 2017 to elect the councils of 46 of the 128 local government areas (LGAs) in New South Wales. Several councils also held mayoral elections and/or referendums.^[1][2]

2017 New South Wales local elections

← 2012 ← 2016 9 September 2017 2021 →
46 of the 128 local government areas in New South Wales
Registered	2,730,000
Turnout	76.60%
First party Second party Third party   IND Leader N/A N/A N/A Party Independents Labor Liberal Last election [a] [a] [a] Seats won 241 105 96 Popular vote 687,863 535,852 533,377 Percentage 32.26% 25.62% 25.50%   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   OLC Leader No leader Paul Garrard Fred Nile Party Greens OLC Christian Democrats Last election [a] Did not exist 0 Seats before 1 0 Seats won 31 4 0 Seat change 3 Popular vote 180,532 36,250 6,770 Percentage 8.63% 1.731% 0.32% Swing 1.73   Seventh party Eighth party Ninth party   SFF Leader John Humphreys Robert Borsak Jim Saleam Party Liberal Democrats SFF Australia First Last election 1[a] 0 0[a] Seats before 1 0 0 Seats won 1 2 0 Seat change 2 Popular vote 4,177 3,821 3,279 Percentage 0.20% 0.18% 0.16% Swing 0.04
Results by LGA

Background

Following the 2012 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.^[3][4] 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.^[5]

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

Political parties

The following registered parties contested this election. This does not include groups of independents:

• Animal Justice Party
• Christian Democrats
• Greens
• Labor Party
• Liberal Democrats
• Liberal Party
• Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party
• Socialist Alliance

In addition, a number of local government-registered parties also contested the elections.^[6]

Party changes before elections

A number of councillors joined or left parties before the 2017 elections.

Council	Ward	Councillor	Former party		New party		Date
Shellharbour	Unsubdivided	Paul Rankin		Liberal		Independent	30 October 2013
Strathfield	Unsubdivided	Nella Hall		Independent		Christian Democrats	2015
Ku-ring-gai	Gordon	Cheryl Szatow		Liberal		Independent	19 September 2016
Wollongong	Ward 3	Bede Crasnich		Liberal		Independent	26 August 2017
Shellharbour	Unsubdivided	Kellie Marsh		Liberal		Independent	August 2017
Ku-ring-gai	Comenarra	Jeff Pettett		Liberal Democrats		Independent	2017

Results

Main article: Results of the 2017 New South Wales local elections

Party			Votes	%	Swing	Seats[a]	Change
	Independents		687,863	32.26		241
	Labor		535,852	25.62		105
	Liberal		533,377	25.50		96
	Greens		180,532	8.63		31
	Your Northern Beaches		40,828	1.95	+1.95	6	6
	Our Local Community		36,250	1.73	+1.73	4	4
	Local Independent Party		13,631	0.65		0	2
	Good For Manly		8,045	0.65	+0.65	1	1
	Residents First Woollahra		7,150	0.34	+0.12	5
	Christian Democrats		6,770	0.32		0
	Serving Mosman		5,402	0.26	+0.14	3
	Liberal Democrats		4,177	0.20		1
	Residents For Mosman		4,175	0.20	+0.11	2	1
	Lorraine Wearne		4,055	0.19	–0.04	1	1
	Shooters, Fishers and Farmers		3,821	0.18		2
	Independent Community Voice		3,575	0.17		1	1
	Kogarah Residents		3,384	0.16	+0.16	1	1
	Independent One Nation		3,343	0.16	+0.16	1	1
	Independent Christian Democrats		3,298	0.16	+0.16	1	1
	Australia First		3,279	0.16		0
	Residents Action Group		3,158	0.15		0	2
	Ben Shields Team		2,650	0.13	+0.13	1	1
	Communist		1,595	0.07	+0.00	0	1
	Strathfield Independents		1,467	0.07	+0.07	1	1
	Animal Justice		804	0.04		0
	Socialist Alliance		407	0.02		0
	Independent Greens		236	0.01	+0.01	0
Total			2,091,126	100.00	–	–	–
Registered voters / turnout			2,730,000	76.60		–	–

Council totals

Council	Seats[7]
	Liberal	Labor	Greens	Independent	Others
Armidale	Did not contest	1	1	9	Did not contest
Bathurst	Did not contest	Did not contest	1	8	Did not contest
Bayside	5	7	0	3	Did not contest
Blayney	Did not contest	1	0	6	Did not contest
Burwood	2	4	Did not contest	1	Did not contest
Cabonne	Did not contest	Did not contest	Did not contest	12	Did not contest
Canada Bay	3	4	1	1	Did not contest
Canterbury-Bankstown	5	9	1	0	Did not contest
Central Coast	4	6	0	5	0
Cootamundra-Gundagai	Did not contest	Did not contest	Did not contest	9	Did not contest
Cumberland	5	8	0	2	Did not contest
Dubbo	Did not contest	1	Did not contest	9	Did not contest
Dungog	Did not contest	1	Did not contest	8	0
Edward River	Did not contest	Did not contest	Did not contest	9	Did not contest
Federation	Did not contest	Did not contest	Did not contest	9	Did not contest
Georges River	5	6	Did not contest	4	Did not contest
Hilltops	Did not contest	Did not contest	Did not contest	11	Did not contest
Hornsby	5	2	2	1	Did not contest
Hunter's Hill	2	Did not contest	Did not contest	5	Did not contest
Inner West	2	5	5	3	Did not contest
Ku-ring-gai	Did not contest	Did not contest	Did not contest	9	1[b]
Lane Cove	3	1	Did not contest	5	Did not contest
Maitland	4	5	0	4	Did not contest
Mid-Coast	1	2	Did not contest	8	Did not contest
Mosman	Did not contest	Did not contest	Did not contest	7	Did not contest
Murray River	Did not contest	Did not contest	Did not contest	9	Did not contest
Murrumbidgee	Did not contest	Did not contest	Did not contest	9	Did not contest
Newcastle	1	7	1	4	Did not contest
North Sydney	Did not contest	Did not contest	Did not contest	9	1[c]
Northern Beaches	5	0	2	8	Did not contest
Oberon	Did not contest	Did not contest	Did not contest	9	Did not contest
Orange	Did not contest	Did not contest	1	8	2[d]
Parramatta	6	5	1	3	Did not contest
Port Stephens	Did not contest	1	Did not contest	9	Did not contest
Queanbeyan-Palerang	1	2	1	7	Did not contest
Randwick	4	5	3	3	0
Ryde	4	4	2	2	Did not contest
Shellharbour	1	3	Did not contest	3	Did not contest
Snowy Monaro	Did not contest	Did not contest	1	10	Did not contest
Snowy Valleys	Did not contest	Did not contest	Did not contest	9	Did not contest
Strathfield	3	2	Did not contest	2	Did not contest
The Hills	9	3	0	0	0
Waverley	5	4	3	0	Did not contest
Willoughby	Did not contest	Did not contest	1	12	Did not contest
Wollongong	3	6	2	2	Did not contest
Woollahra	8	0	2	5	Did not contest

Referendums and polls

In addition to the local elections, four LGAs held referendums on questions relating to electoral structures. Advisory polls were also held in Cumberland and Dungog.

Referendums

LGA	Question	YES		NO		Turnout		Ref
		Votes	%	Votes	%	Total formal	%
Cabonne	"Do you favour reducing councillor numbers from twelve (12) to nine (9)?"	4,897	60.9	3,149	39.1	8,046	84.6	[10]
Dungog	"Dungog Shire Council currently has nine (9) Councillors with the Mayor elected by the Councillors. Do you approve of the popular election of the Mayor with seven (7) Councillors including the Mayor?"	3,957	71.9	1,547	28.1	5,504	87.4	[11]
	"Do you approve of the abolition of wards?"	2,302	45.9	2,712	54.1	5,014	87.4
North Sydney	"Do you favour election of the Mayor by Councillors for a term of two years?"	17,271	52.4	15,671	47.6	32,942	72.6	[12]
Shellharbour	"The Mayor of City of Shellharbour Council is currently elected annually by the seven (7) Councillors. Do you favour the election of the Mayor by the voters of City of Shellharbour for a four year term which necessitates an increase in the number of Councillors by one (1)? This will result in a total of nine (9) elected representatives made up of one (1) Mayor and eight (8) Councillors."	27,211	70.1	11,586	29.9	38,797	84.1	[13]
	"Currently the City of Shellharbour Local Government Area has no Ward structure. Do you favour the City of Shellharbour Local Government Area being comprised of Wards?"	18,038	50.3	17,792	49.7	35,830	84.1

Polls

LGA	Question	YES		NO		Turnout		Ref
		Votes	%	Votes	%	Total formal	%
Cumberland	"Cumberland Council currently operates five public swimming pools in the Local Government Area. Each year the five pools expect to cater for a total of approximately 405,000 visitors. In 2018 it is estimated that the total operating costs of all five pools will exceed revenues by almost $2.15 million (which is 2.4% of Council’s rates income), and it is expected that the shortfall will increase in subsequent years. Council subsidises these pools by using other funding sources, such as rates to cover the shortfall. Do you support Council continuing to operate and subsidise all of these swimming pools?"	65,745	74.8	22,137	25.2	87,882	76.5	[14]
Dungog	"Do you want Dungog Shire Council to remain a stand alone Council?"	2,492	47.1	2,795	52.9	5,287	87.4	[11]
	"Do you want Dungog Shire Council to begin merger discussions with Maitland City Council?"	1,152	23.2	3,821	76.8	4,973	87.5
	"Do you want Dungog Shire Council to begin merger discussions with Port Stephens Council?"	2,908	55.4	2,339	44.6	5,247	87.4
	"Do you want Dungog Shire Council to apply to the Boundaries Commission to be abolished and have the Shire area divided and joined with neighbouring local government areas?"	1,443	29.4	3,469	70.6	4,912	87.4

Aftermath

Party defections

In 2019, Labor Cumberland councillor Steve Christou defected to Our Local Community, as did directly-elected Canada Bay mayor Angelo Tsirekas in 2021.^[15][16] OLC councillor Andrew Wilson joined The Small Business Party in 2021.^[17]

By-elections

For by-elections in councils that held local elections in 2016, see here.

The New South Wales Electoral Commission held a number of by-elections to fill vacancies on councils following the 2017 elections up until 2021.^[18]

The Central Coast Council was suspended before two by-elections in 2020 could be held.

Council	Ward	Before			Change		Result after preference distribution
		Councillor	Party		Cause	Date	Date	Party		Candidate	%
Murrumbidgee	East						10 March 2018		Independent	Pat Brown	52.47
									Independent	Shane Fraser	47.53
The Hills	West						28 July 2018		Liberal	Jacob Jackson	69.01
									Labor	Immanuel Selvaraj	30.99
Ku-ring-gai	St Ives	David Citer		Independent Liberal	Resignation	2 August 2018	27 October 2018		Ind. Liberal	Christine Kay	53.92
									Independent	Nicholas Bakker	46.08
Wollongong	Ward 3						24 November 2018		Labor	Ann Martin	58.36
									Independent	Ami Beck[e]	21.67
Wollongong	Ward 3	Vicky King		Labor	Death	25 February 2020	No by-election held due to COVID-19 pandemic
Central Coast	Gosford East	Rebecca Gale		Liberal	Resignation	26 October 2020	Council suspended before countback
Central Coast	Gosford West	Troy Marquart		Liberal	Resignation	26 October 2020	Council suspended before countback

Notes

1. This does not include seats in 79 LGAs that were won in 2016 but not up for re-election until the 2021 local elections.
2. Independent One Nation/Independent Greens ticket.^[8][9]
3. One Liberal Democrat
4. Two Shooters, Fishers, Farmers Party members.
5. Second-placed out of three candidate after initial preference distribution.