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1987 New South Wales local elections

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1987 New South Wales local elections

← 1983 26 September 1987[1][2] 1991 ⊟

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

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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

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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

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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]

References

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  1. ^ "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. 22 September 1987. pp. 6–7. Archived from the original on 17 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  2. ^ "Officer elected in council poll". Trove. Royal Australian Navy News. 30 October 1987. p. 8. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  3. ^ "Independents in state elections". Trove. Tribune. 22 July 1987. p. 15. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  4. ^ Freney, Denis (23 September 1987). "'Dirty tricks' in NSW local govt poll". Trove. Tribune. p. 14. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  5. ^ "Monday deadline for coast elections". Trove. The Canberra Times. 15 August 1987. p. 8. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  6. ^ Cridland, Harry (19 August 1987). "Local history". Trove. Tribune. p. 13. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  7. ^ "LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1919 — PROCLAMATION". Trove. Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. 6 February 1987. p. 583. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  8. ^ Shaw, Rob (25 March 1987). "Local councils opening up". Trove. Tribune. p. 14. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  9. ^ Collier, Shayne; Murray, Therese (26 March 1987). "WARRINGAH REBORN". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 2015-12-22. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  10. ^ "Holroyd City Council Report" (PDF). New South Wales Electoral Commission. 31 August 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 June 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  11. ^ "Alderman Harry Sawkins". Trove. The Canberra Times. 12 March 1987. p. 9. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  12. ^ "Navy loses mayor". Trove. Royal Australian Navy News. 3 April 1987. p. 8. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  13. ^ a b Dias, Avani (7 September 2017). "Cabinet papers reveal 1987 decision to sack Sydney council just as Clover Moore set to run for mayor". ABC News. Archived from the original on 31 December 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  14. ^ "'Persons power' in council elections". Trove. Tribune. 11 March 1987. p. 16. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  15. ^ "Sydney City Council elections delayed". Trove. Tribune. 25 March 1987. p. 16. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  16. ^ "Clover, the maverick mayor". Sydney Morning Herald. 28 March 2004. Archived from the original on 22 August 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  17. ^ Freney, Denis (7 October 1987). "Independents: breaking traditional political structures". Trove. Tribune. p. 7. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  18. ^ a b "Council elections". Trove. Australian Jewish Times. 1 October 1987. p. 20. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  19. ^ "Eva Sekers: Independant - Waverley Action Committee (1981 – 1987)". Waverley Council. Archived from the original on 17 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.