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.
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. 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.
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.
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
Party Votes % Swing Seats 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 Others Armidale 1 1 9 Bathurst 1 8 Bayside 5 7 0 3 Blayney 1 0 6 Burwood 2 4 1 Cabonne 12 Canada Bay 3 4 1 1 Canterbury-Bankstown 5 9 1 0 Central Coast 4 6 0 5 0 Cootamundra-Gundagai 9 Cumberland 5 8 0 2 Dubbo 1 9 Dungog 1 8 0 Edward River 9 Federation 9 Georges River 5 6 4 Hilltops 11 Hornsby 5 2 2 1 Hunter's Hill 2 5 Inner West 2 5 5 3 Ku-ring-gai 9 1 Lane Cove 3 1 5 Maitland 4 5 0 4 Mid-Coast 1 2 8 Mosman 7 Murray River 9 Murrumbidgee 9 Newcastle 1 7 1 4 North Sydney 9 1 Northern Beaches 5 0 2 8 Oberon 9 Orange 1 8 2 Parramatta 6 5 1 3 Port Stephens 1 9 Queanbeyan-Palerang 1 2 1 7 Randwick 4 5 3 3 0 Ryde 4 4 2 2 Shellharbour 1 3 3 Snowy Monaro 1 10 Snowy Valleys 9 Strathfield 3 2 2 The Hills 9 3 0 0 0 Waverley 5 4 3 0 Willoughby 1 12 Wollongong 3 6 2 2 Woollahra 8 0 2 5
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 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 "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 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 "Currently the City of Shellharbour Local Government Area has no Ward structure. Do you favour the City of Shellharbour Local Government Area being 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 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 "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. OLC councillor Andrew Wilson joined The Small Business Party in 2021.
By-elections
The New South Wales Electoral Commission held a number of by-elections to fill vacancies on councils following the 2017 elections up until 2021.
The Central Coast Council was suspended before two by-elections in 2020 could be held.
Council Ward Before Change Result after preference distributionCouncillor PartyCauseDateDate PartyCandidate%MurrumbidgeeEast 10 March 2018 IndependentPat Brown52.47 Independent Shane Fraser 47.53The HillsWest 28 July 2018 LiberalJacob Jackson69.01 Labor Immanuel Selvaraj 30.99Ku-ring-gaiSt Ives David Citer Independent LiberalResignation2 August 201827 October 2018 Ind. LiberalChristine Kay53.92 Independent Nicholas Bakker 46.08WollongongWard 324 November 2018 LaborAnn Martin58.36 Independent Ami Beck 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 GaleLiberal Resignation26 October 2020 Council suspended before countback Central Coast Gosford West Troy MarquartLiberal Resignation26 October 2020 Council suspended before countback
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