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Port Macquarie-Hastings Council

Coordinates: 31°26′S 152°54′E / 31.433°S 152.900°E / -31.433; 152.900
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This article is about the local government area. For the regional town, see Port Macquarie.

Port Macquarie-Hastings
New South Wales
Location in New South Wales
Coordinates31°26′S 152°54′E / 31.433°S 152.900°E / -31.433; 152.900
Population
 • Density23.5376/km2 (60.9621/sq mi)
Established
  • 1 January 1981
    (Municipality of Hastings)
  • 13 July 2005
    (Port Macquarie-Hastings Council)
Area3,686.1 km2 (1,423.2 sq mi)
MayorAdam Roberts (Independent)[3]
Council seatPort Macquarie
RegionMid North Coast
State electorate(s)
Federal division(s)
WebsitePort Macquarie-Hastings
LGAs around Port Macquarie-Hastings:
Walcha Kempsey Tasman Sea
Walcha Port Macquarie-Hastings Tasman Sea
Mid-Coast Mid-Coast Tasman Sea

Port Macquarie-Hastings Council is a local government area in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, Australia.

The area is located adjacent to the Hastings River, the Pacific Highway, the Oxley Highway and the North Coast railway line. Major population centres in the local government area are Port Macquarie, Camden Haven, Wauchope, Lake Cathie and Kendall.

The mayor of the Port Macquarie-Hastings Council since 30 September 2024 is Cr. Adam Roberts, an independent politician.

Port Macquarie suburbs

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Towns and localities

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Towns and localities (including Port Macquarie suburbs) in the Port Macquarie-Hastings Council are:[4]

Demographics

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At the 2021 Census, there were 86,762 people in the Port Macquarie-Hastings local government area, of these 47.9% were male and 52.1% were female. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 5.5% of the population, significantly higher than the national average. The median age of people in the Port Macquarie-Hastings Council area was 49 years; eleven years higher than the national median. Children aged 0 – 14 years made up 15.9% of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up 29.1% of the population. Of people in the area aged 15 years and over, 47.9% were married and 15.4% were either divorced or separated.[1]

Population growth in the Port Macquarie-Hastings Council area between the 2001 Census and the 2006 Census was 6.68%; and in the subsequent five years to the 2011 Census was 6.23%. When compared with total population growth of Australia for the same periods, being 5.78% and 8.32% respectively, population growth in the Port Macquarie-Hastings local government area was generally on par with the national average.[5] The median weekly income for residents within the Port Macquarie-Hastings Council area was slightly below the national average.[6][7]

At the 2011 Census, the proportion of residents in the Port Macquarie-Hastings local government area who stated their ancestry as Australian or Anglo-Celtic exceeded 83% of all residents (national average was 65.2%). In excess of 64% of all residents in the Port Macquarie-Hastings Council area nominated a religious affiliation with Christianity at the 2011 Census, which was higher than the national average of 50.2%. Meanwhile, as at the Census date, compared to the national average, households in the Port Macquarie-Hastings local government area had a significantly lower than average proportion (3.6%) where two or more languages are spoken (national average was 20.4%); and a significantly higher proportion (93.7%) where English only was spoken at home (national average was 76.8%).[6]

Selected historical census data for Port Macquarie-Hastings local government area
Census year 2001[5] 2006[7] 2011[6] 2016[8]
Population Estimated residents on census night 64,146 68,430 72,696 78,539
LGA rank in terms of size within New South Wales 29th Increase 28th
% of New South Wales population 1.05% Steady 1.05%
% of Australian population 0.34% Steady 0.34% Steady 0.34% Steady 0.34%
Cultural and language diversity
Ancestry,
top responses		 English 33.4% Decrease 32.9%
Australian 32.8% Decrease 31.6%
Irish 9.5% Increase 9.6%
Scottish 7.7% Increase 7.9%
German 2.8% Increase 2.9%
Language,
top responses
(other than English)		 German 0.3% Steady 0.3% Steady 0.3% Decrease 0.2%
Spanish n/c n/c Increase 0.1% Increase 0.2%
French 0.1% Steady 0.1% Steady 0.1% Increase 0.2%
Mandarin n/c Steady n/c Steady n/c Increase 0.2%
Italian 0.2% Steady 0.2% Steady 0.2% Steady 0.2%
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation,
top responses		 No religion 11.5% Increase 14.5% Increase 18.1% Increase 25.6%
Anglican 33.1% Decrease 31.3% Decrease 29.4% Decrease 24.6%
Catholic 24.2% Steady 24.2% Increase 24.7% Decrease 23.1%
Not stated n/c Steady n/c Steady n/c Increase 8.8%
Uniting Church 8.4% Decrease 7.2% Decrease 6.0% Decrease 4.8%
Median weekly incomes
Personal income Median weekly personal income A$361 A$447 A$540
% of Australian median income 77.5% 77.5% 81.6%
Family income Median weekly family income A$679 A$1,008 A$1,300
% of Australian median income 66.1% 68.1% 75.0%
Household income Median weekly household income A$891 A$837 A$1,042
% of Australian median income 76.1% 67.8% 72.5%

Council

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Current composition and election methods

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Port Macquarie-Hastings Council is composed of nine councillors, including the mayor, for a fixed four-year term of office. The mayor is directly elected while the eight other councillors are elected proportionally as one entire ward. The most recent election was held on 14 September 2024, and the makeup of the council is as follows:

Party Councillors
  Team Roberts Independents 3
  Team Sheppard Independents 2
  Independent Liberal 1
  Greens 1
  Libertarian 1
  Labor 1
Total 9 (including mayor)
Councillor Party Notes
  Adam Roberts Independent Mayor
Team Roberts
  Lauren Edwards Greens
  Rachel Shepphard Independent Team Sheppard
  Danielle Maltman Independent Team Roberts
  Nik Lipovac Independent Liberal[9]
  Mark Hornshaw Libertarian
  Chris Kirkman Independent Team Roberts
  Lisa Intemann Independent Team Sheppard
  Hamish Tubman Labor

Mayors

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Main article: List of officeholders of Port Macquarie-Hastings Council

Election results

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2024

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This section is an excerpt from Results of the 2024 New South Wales local elections in Mid North Coast § Port Macquarie-Hastings results.[edit]
2024 New South Wales local elections: Port Macquarie-Hastings[10][11][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Team Roberts 1. Adam Roberts
2. Danielle Maltman (elected)
3. Chris Kirkman (elected)
4. Evan O'Brien
5. Kylie Van Der Ley
6. Josh Slade 		15,343 28.0 −18.8[a]
Team Sheppard 1. Rachel Sheppard (elected)
2. Lisa Intemann (elected)
3. Kingsley Searle
4. Linda Elbourne 		9,397 17.2 +1.9
Libertarian 1. Mark Hornshaw (elected)
2. Breelin Coetzer
3. Duane Stace
4. Deborah Cooper
5. David Bird 		8,763 16.0 +16.0
Team Lipovac 1. Nik Lipovac (elected)
2. Jon Bailey
3. Ellen Crepaz
4. Luke Garel 		8,326 15.2 +6.8
Greens 1. Lauren Edwards (elected)
2. Stuart Watson
3. Jane McIntyre
4. Leslie Mitchell 		7,668 14.0 +5.0
Labor 1. Hamish Tubman (elected)
2. Lorna Neal
3. Reginald Millar
4. Susan Baker 		4,823 8.8 +8.8
Independent DJ Apanui 401 0.7 +0.7
Total formal votes 54,721 91.8
Informal votes 4,868 8.2
Turnout 59,589

2021

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This section is an excerpt from Results of the 2021 New South Wales local elections in Mid North Coast § Port Macquarie-Hastings.[edit]
Elected councillor Party
  Adam Roberts Team Pinson
  Danielle Maltman Team Pinson
  Josh Slade Team Pinson
  Sharon Griffiths Team Pinson
  Lisa Intemann Fighters
  Rachel Sheppard Sheppard Team
  Lauren Edwards Greens
  Nik Lipovac Hastings First
2021 New South Wales local elections: Port Macquarie-Hastings[13][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Team Pinson 24,571 46.8
Fighters For Our Region 9,077 17.3
The Sheppard Team for Sensible, Sustainable Progress 8,046 15.3
Greens 4,704 9.0
Hastings First 4,398 8.4
Independent Jon Bailey 1,721 3.3
Total formal votes 52,517 92.3
Informal votes 4,402 7.7
Turnout 56,919 85.6

History

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Local government in the Hastings region started with the passage of the District Councils Act 1842, which allowed for limited local government in the form of a warden and between 3 and 12 councillors to be appointed by the Governor. Between July and September 1843, 28 such entities had been proclaimed by Governor George Gipps. The Macquarie District Council, the 8th to be declared, was proclaimed on 12 August 1843, with a population of 2,409 and an area of 10,174 square kilometres (3,928 sq mi).[15]: 208–209  Due to various factors, the district councils were ineffective, and most had ceased to operate by the end of the decade.[16]

After the enactment of the Municipalities Act of 1858,[17] which gave the councils more authority and which allowed for residents to petition for incorporation of areas and also to elect councillors, the town of Port Macquarie, population 984, petitioned to be incorporated as a municipality twice: in 1859 and again in 1867; but on both occasions, counter-petitions from other residents prevented it from being incorporated.[15]: 274  Finally, on 15 March 1887, the Port Macquarie Municipal District was proclaimed, with the first elections on 25 May 1887 electing James McInherney as the first mayor.[18]

The Local Government (Shires) Act 1905 enabled the Shire of Hastings, based in the town of Wauchope, to come into being in June 1906, in time for elections in November 1906. The first Shire President was James O'Neill.[18]

In 1981, the two councils were amalgamated to form the Municipality of Hastings, with Norm Matesich becoming the council's inaugural mayor. In 1991, the council moved into its present premises in Burrawan Street, Port Macquarie. With the enactment of the Local Government Act 1993 (NSW), which changed the responsibilities of the mayor and councillors, the Hastings Council was created. In 2005, the name was changed to Port Macquarie-Hastings following a community survey, showing that many people thought that the new name would better reflect the area.[18]

Glasshouse controversy

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Main article: 2008 Port Macquarie-Hastings Council dismissal

On 27 February 2008 the Minister for Local Government, Paul Lynch, dismissed the council and appointed an administrator, Dick Persson, who also administered the Northern Beaches Council and Warringah Council in Sydney, and the Central Coast Council in the Central Coast region. The dismissal of council was made after alleged mishandling of a project initiated in 2001 to build a cultural and entertainment centre, known to locals as the Glasshouse.[19] The project, initially a joint venture with the management of the neighbouring shopping centre, Port Central, was initially expected to cost the Council A$7.3 million, but by late 2007, despite the centre not yet having opened, the costs had blown out to over A$41.7 million, with interest repayments likely to extend the council's liability to A$66 million. On 27 July 2007, a full public inquiry was announced by the Minister for Local Government, which reported back in February 2008.[20]

The inquiry report found that the council had failed to provide appropriate financial and project management and had lost control of the costs, that the project costs had harmed the council's ability to provide services and amenities to the community, and that the council's "communications management strategies" had resulted in inadequate consultation with the public or appropriate regard to their concerns. The outgoing mayor, Rob Drew, was critical of the process throughout, maintaining that errors had been made and misinformation had been accepted as fact; however, the New South Wales Urban Task Force, a property development lobby group, believed the dismissal served as a warning to other councils to stick to "core responsibilities". In 2009 it was revealed that the Glasshouse would cost ratepayers around A$6 million a year to run.[21]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Compared with Team Pinson at the 2021 election.

References

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  1. ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Port Macquarie-Hastings". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 11 December 2023. Edit this at Wikidata
  2. ^ "Regional population". Australian Bureau of Statistics. 20 April 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  3. ^ "Election results: your newly elected Port Macquarie-Hastings councillors". Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  4. ^ "Port Macquarie-Hastings Council area". Archived from the original on 9 December 2017. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  5. ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (9 March 2006). "Hastings (A)". 2001 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 30 November 2012. Edit this at Wikidata
  6. ^ a b c Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Port Macquarie-Hastings (A)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 30 November 2012. Edit this at Wikidata
  7. ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Hastings (A)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
  8. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Port Macquarie-Hastings (A)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 7 July 2017. Edit this at Wikidata
  9. ^ https://elections.nsw.gov.au/candidatewebpage/getcandidatefile?NominationId=YWVhYTA3MGMtMzA0OS00ZjA1LTg5MjYtNTg4YTNlMjkzMmQz&pdfName=NIK_LIPOVAC_C_PORTMACQUARIE-HASTINGS_CIS_CWP#toolbar=0
  10. ^ "Port Macquarie-Hastings". New South Wales Electoral Commission. 2 October 2024. Archived from the original on 3 October 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  11. ^ "Port Macquarie-Hastings - First Preference Group and Candidate Votes by Aggregated Vote Type". New South Wales Electoral Commission. 2 October 2024. Archived from the original on 3 October 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  12. ^ "Lauren Edwards". Greens on Council. 30 May 2024. Archived from the original on 23 August 2024. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
  13. ^ "Port Macquarie-Hastings". ABC News.
  14. ^ "Tegan Swan re-announces tilt for Mayor as Rob Gam enters the fray". The Daily Telegraph. Coffs Coast Advocate. 2 August 2021. Archived from the original on 21 September 2024. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
  15. ^ a b Larcombe, F. A. (Frederick) (1973). The Origin of Local Government in New South Wales 1831–58. Sydney University Press. ISBN 978-0-424-06610-3. See also Historical Records of Australia, Series I, volume xvii, Introduction, p.12.
  16. ^ Merivale, Herman (1928) [1861]. Lectures on Colonization and the Colonies. Oxford University Press. pp. 651–653.
  17. ^ 22 Vic No. 13 (Imp), assented 27 October 1858
  18. ^ a b c "History of the Council". Port Macquarie-Hastings Council. 28 February 2008. Archived from the original on 22 July 2008. Retrieved 26 March 2008.
  19. ^ "Council sacked over cost blow-out". Australia: ABC News. 27 February 2008. Archived from the original on 1 March 2008. Retrieved 27 February 2008.
  20. ^ Willan, Frank. Port Macquarie-Hastings Council – Public Inquiry – Inquiry Report Volume 1. Government of New South Wales. ISBN 978-1-920766-69-6.
  21. ^ "Task force says council sacking a warning to others". Australia: ABC News. 6 March 2008. Retrieved 12 April 2008.
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