No Libs but dozens of hopeful candidates standing in local government elections in the Illawarra

The Illawarra’s smallest council, Kiama, has the largest number of candidates standing in September’s local government elections.

Despite having only eight councillors and a mayor, 40 residents have put their hand up for election.

In Wollongong, where residents will elect 12 councillors as well as a mayor, 36 names will appear on ballot papers, and in Shellharbour, a more modest 21 candidates will stand for eight councillor positions and the mayor’s job.

As revealed this week, a major blunder by the NSW Liberal Party means no Liberal candidates will be able to stand in the Wollongong council election.

The error means sitting Liberal councillors John Dorahy, Cameron Walters and Elisha Aitken are effectively booted from the council despite all three submitting their paperwork to restand.

No candidates in Kiama or Shellharbour are running under a Liberal Party banner. The only declared groups are the Labor Party and the Greens, with all other candidates either declaring themselves as independent, or indicating no affiliation.

Voting in the 14 September election is compulsory. Click here to check that your enrolment details are correct.

Kiama

In Kiama, residents will also vote in a referendum to decide whether, in future elections, they want to directly elect their mayor. Currently, the elected councillors vote for the mayor.

For the first time in many years, the name of incumbent Mayor Neil Reilly will not appear on the ballot paper, after he decided to retire from the council.

Announcing his decision in July, Cr Reilly said he had decided, at the age of 71, “to embrace a new chapter of life, one of productive retirement”.

Also not recontesting at this election are Warren Steel, Kathy Rice, Jodi Keast and Karen Renkema-Lang.

There will be eight groups on the Kiama Council ballot paper. Group D (Labor) and Group E (The Greens) are the only declared parties to appear.

The ballot paper draw was held on Wednesday and the order in which names will appear is:
Group A – Cameron McDonald (Independent, five candidates)
Group B – Alan Smith (Independent, five candidates)
Group C – Matt Brown (Independent, five candidates)
Group D – Imogen Draisma (Labor, five candidates)
Group E – Melinda Lawton (The Greens, five candidates)
Group F – Michael Cains (Independent, five candidates)
Group G – Yasmin Tatrai (six candidates)
Group H – Mark Croxford (four candidates).

Wollongong

Wollongong’s current Mayor, Independent Gordon Bradbery, is also retiring, leaving the way open in a hotly contested field.

Five candidates will vie for the top job, although noticeably absent will be the name of John Dorahy, who had planned to stand until the Liberal Party fiasco.

The candidates in ballot order are:
Anthony Andrew (Independent)
Suzanne de Vive (Independent)
Jess Whittaker (The Greens)
Ryan Morris (Independent)
Tania Brown (Labor).

Wollongong Council has three wards. Councillors who are retiring are Janice Kershaw (Labor), Mithra Cox, Cath Blakey (both The Greens) and Dom Figliomeni (Independent). Liberal councillors John Dorahy, Cameron Walters and Elisha Aitken are unable to recontest the election.

The candidates in ballot order are:
Ward 1
Grouped
Group A – The Greens, four candidates
Group B – Labor, four candidates
Ungrouped
Ryan Morris
Suzanne de Vive.

Ward 2
Grouped
Group A – The Greens, four candidates
Group B – Labor, four candidates
Group C – Andrew Anthony, four candidates
Ungrouped
James Caldwell – Independent.

Ward 3
Grouped
Group A – The Greens, four candidates
Group B – Labor, four candidates.

Shellharbour

In Shellharbour, three candidates have nominated to run for the mayor’s job, including the incumbent, Chris Homer.
The candidates in ballot order are:
Chris Homer – Independent
Rob Petreski – Labor
Paul Rankin – Independent.

Shellharbour voters will be electing a mayor and eight councillors, with two in each of the four wards. Ward boundaries have been reviewed and, as a result, minor changes will come into effect for the election. Jacqui Graf is the only councillor who is not recontesting.

The candidates in ballot order are:
Ward A
Group A – Labor, two candidates
Group B – Two candidates.

Ward B
Group A – Two candidates
Group B – Labor, two candidates.

Ward C
Group A – Labor, two candidates
Group B – Three candidates.

Ward D
Group A – Labor, three candidates
Group B – Two candidates.
Ungrouped
Paul Rankin – Independent.

Postal voting for the elections is now open and will close on 9 September. To apply, click here. Postal vote packs will be sent to approved applicants and registered general postal voters from Monday, 19 August.

Pre-poll voting will be available from Saturday, 7 September, to Friday, 13 September. Click here to check whether you are eligible.

For more information on telephone-assisted voting, or help in another language, visit the NSW Electoral Commission.

Region Illawarra will publish information on individual candidates in the lead-up to the election. If you are a candidate and would like to supply information and a photograph, please email [email protected].