| Founded: | 1999 |
| Dissolved: | 10 August 2016 |
| Ideology: | [1] [2] |
| Position: | Centre-left |
| Seats1 Title: | Sutherland Shire Council |
| Country: | New South Wales |
| Country2: | Australia |
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.[3]
The party was in an alliance with the Labor Party from 1999 until 2004, and again from 2008 until 2011.[4]
Shire Watch was founded by a group of six residents ahead of the 1999 local government elections.[5] 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.[6] Shire Watch councillor Tracie Sonda served as mayor from 2000 until 2002.[7]
In 2004, the Liberal Party won seven seats while Shire Watch won four.[8]
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.[8] Shire Watch councillor Lorraine Kelly was elected by councillors as mayor following the elections, and remained in the role until 2010.[7]
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.[8]
At the 2012 election, Shire Watch lost four of its seats, and Peter Towell was the only member of the party re-elected.[8] [9]
On 10 August 2016, Towell announced he would contest the 2016 election as an independent candidate, thus dissolving Shire Watch.[10]