1987 New South Wales local elections explained

Country:New South Wales
Type:parliamentary
Ongoing:no
Election Date:26 September 1987[1] [2]
Previous Election:1983 New South Wales local elections
Previous Year:1983
Next Election:1991 New South Wales local elections
Next Year:1991
Outgoing Members:1984 (deferred)

The 1987 New South Wales local elections were held on 26 September 1987 to elect the councils of the local government areas (LGAs) of New South Wales, Australia.[3] [4] [5] [6]

No election was held in September for Warringah Shire Council, which instead held an election on 14 March 1987 after the council was dismissed in 1985.[7] A total of 61 candidates contested the 12 councillor positions in Warringah, including endorsed National Party candidates (who did not win a single seat) and at least one Independent Labor candidate.[8] Seven councillors from the previous council were returned to office, including shire president Ted Jackson.[9]

This was the first election where Town and Shire Clerks acted as returning officers under the direction of the New South Wales Electoral Commissioner.[10]

Background

On 11 March 1987, Shoalhaven mayor Harry Sawkins died from a heart attack. A by-election was not held due to the proximity of the local elections, whicH Sawkins was planning to contest.[11] [12]

Sydney City Council dismissal

The election for Sydney City Council was delayed until 1988 after the council was dismissed over allegations of impropriety by lord mayor Doug Sutherland.[13] At the time, Redfern Ward alderman Clover Moore was considering contesting the mayoral election.[13] [14] Instead, she contested and won the seat of Bligh at the 1988 state election before eventually becoming lord mayor in 2004.[15] [16]

Results

Independent candidates made major gains across the state.[17]

The Liberal Party lost control of Waverley Council to a number of Labor Party candidates.[18] Although The Australian Jewish Times reported at the time that the Waverley Action Committee had won two seats, it appears they had instead lost all their seats by the time the results were declared.[18] [19]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Election Details Of The Various Candidates Standing For The Local Government Elections On September 26 . localhistory.sutherlandshire.nsw.gov.au . St George and Sutherland Shire Leader . 17 September 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240917024947/https://localhistory.sutherlandshire.nsw.gov.au/nodes/view/184715?keywords= . 17 September 2024 . 6–7 . 22 September 1987.
  2. Web site: Officer elected in council poll . Trove . Royal Australian Navy News . 17 September 2024 . 8 . 30 October 1987.
  3. Web site: Independents in state elections . Trove . Tribune . 17 September 2024 . 15 . 22 July 1987.
  4. Web site: Freney . Denis . 'Dirty tricks' in NSW local govt poll . Trove . Tribune . 17 September 2024 . 14 . 23 September 1987.
  5. Web site: Monday deadline for coast elections . Trove . The Canberra Times . 17 September 2024 . 8 . 15 August 1987.
  6. Web site: Cridland . Harry . Local history . Trove . Tribune . 17 September 2024 . 13 . 19 August 1987.
  7. Web site: LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1919 — PROCLAMATION . Trove . Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales . 17 September 2024 . 583 . 6 February 1987.
  8. Web site: Shaw . Rob . Local councils opening up . Trove . Tribune . 17 September 2024 . 14 . 25 March 1987.
  9. Web site: Collier . Shayne . Murray . Therese . WARRINGAH REBORN . Sydney Morning Herald . 22 December 2015 . 26 March 1987. https://web.archive.org/web/20151222201003/http://newsstore.smh.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&sy=smh&kw=warringah+reborn&pb=all_ffx&dt=selectRange&dr=entire&so=relevance&sf=text&sf=headline&rc=10&rm=200&sp=nrm&clsPage=1&docID=news870326_0099_2316 . 2015-12-22 .
  10. Web site: Holroyd City Council Report . New South Wales Electoral Commission . 17 September 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240602235202/https://media.opengov.nsw.gov.au/pairtree_root/b7/b1/77/04/3f/98/4a/b8/9c/13/a2/11/90/92/b3/c8/obj/Holroyd_City_Council.pdf . 2 June 2024 . 31 August 2009.
  11. Web site: Alderman Harry Sawkins . Trove . The Canberra Times . 17 September 2024 . 9 . 12 March 1987.
  12. Web site: Navy loses mayor . Trove . Royal Australian Navy News . 17 September 2024 . 8 . 3 April 1987.
  13. Web site: Dias . Avani . Cabinet papers reveal 1987 decision to sack Sydney council just as Clover Moore set to run for mayor . ABC News . 17 September 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221231151850/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-07/sydney-council-sacked-in-1987-hampered-clover-moore/8882436 . 31 December 2022 . 7 September 2017.
  14. Web site: 'Persons power' in council elections . Trove . Tribune . 17 September 2024 . 16 . 11 March 1987.
  15. Web site: Sydney City Council elections delayed . Trove . Tribune . 17 September 2024 . 16 . 25 March 1987.
  16. Web site: Clover, the maverick mayor . Sydney Morning Herald . 17 September 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240822024802/https://www.smh.com.au/national/clover-the-maverick-mayor-20040328-gdimhe.html . 22 August 2024 . 28 March 2004.
  17. Web site: Freney . Denis . Independents: breaking traditional political structures . Trove . Tribune . 17 September 2024 . 7 . 7 October 1987.
  18. Web site: Council elections . Trove . Australian Jewish Times . 17 September 2024 . 20 . 1 October 1987.
  19. Web site: Eva Sekers: Independant - Waverley Action Committee (1981 – 1987) . Waverley Council . 17 September 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240917041754/https://www.waverley.nsw.gov.au/library/local_history/local_stories/women_in_local_government/eva_sekers_independant_-_waverley_action_committee_1981_1987 . 17 September 2024.

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