21 January 2022
First President's Message of 2022
Happy New Year and welcome back! I hope everyone is settling in as we kick off the new council terms following last year’s local government elections.
Hearty congratulations to our newly elected and returning councillors, as well as to everyone elected by their communities or colleagues to serve as Mayor or Deputy Mayor. There’s no doubt that we are in for quite a year in local government: the ongoing battle to drive a locally led recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, the struggle to deliver for our communities despite a record low baseline rate peg of 0.7%, and of course the upcoming Federal election are just three of the issues that are likely to impact us as 2022 rolls out.
Local Government Election results
After crunching the numbers it’s clear we are entering a new era in local government, with almost half of those elected on December 4 taking their seats on council for the first time. That gives us a fantastic balance between the experience of our returning councillors and the fresh eyes of our newest colleagues, which is really great news for the people of NSW.
Whether you’re newly elected or just keen to refresh your expertise, don’t forget to check out our Learning and Development calendar for courses designed to help you be the best local representative you can be.
It certainly was an election like no other, with the focus on COVID safety really putting iVote through the wringer. I’ve been advised that as a result of the challenges experienced with this online voting system, the Electoral Commissioner has sought Supreme Court orders in regard to councillor elections in the Kempsey and Singleton shires, and for Ward A of the City of Shellharbour. A hearing on the validity of these elections is expected next month. In the interim, the commissioner has indicated there will be a comprehensive review of the iVote system to establish the root cause of the problems.
In better news, it was really gratifying to see a dramatic jump in the gender balance of our councils. Women now make up 39.5% of all elected councillors in NSW, up 8.5% on the proportion of women elected in 2016/17. When you consider that the proportion of women on council was stuck between 27 and 31% for nearly a decade, it’s clear that the focused effort by LGNSW, the Australian Local Government Women’s Association (ALGWA) and the NSW Government delivered real results.
See our media release
Federal Election
As we enter the final few months before a Federal Election, our Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) has identified 17 national priorities that, if funded, would add about $6.39 billion a year to Australia’s Gross Domestic Product, while creating 42,975 jobs. ALGA is calling on all councils to run a targeted advocacy campaign urging local candidates to support these priorities.
ALGA (and former LGNSW) President Linda Scott is calling on all councils to consider adapting and passing a motion to help ensure local government is supported to play a meaningful role in Australia’s COVID recovery, and helps ensure no community is left behind.
Special Conference Countdown
The countdown is now on to LGNSW’s upcoming Special Conference, at the Hyatt Regency Sydney from 28 February to 2 March.
Councils across NSW are in the process of submitting the policy motions that will help set our advocacy agenda for the year, ahead of the rapidly approaching deadline of midnight on Sunday 30 January.
Prepare and submit a motion
These motions will be debated at the conference by the Nominated Voting Delegates selected by each council. It is important to know that registration as a Nominated Voting Delegate is a separate process from registering to attend the conference.
Nominate a Voting delegate
The cut-off deadline for this process is 5pm (AEDT) on Thursday 17 February. While the names of the Nominated Voting Delegates can be amended later if required, no actual nominations can be accepted after the cut-off point, so don’t delay!
One of the invaluable highlights of the conference is always the opportunity to network with peers and colleagues across the state. The past couple of years have forced us all to pivot to Zoom meetings and video calls, but I think we can all agree the experience is just not the same – and that’s just one of the things that makes in-person events such as the Special Conference so important.
The approved COVID-safe plan for the conference is designed to allow us to forge and renew those all-important human connections in person, and I for one am really looking forward to the opportunity to catching up with as many of you as possible!
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