By popular demand, here’s a thread for discussion of the New South Wales council elections. Can’t tell you much about them myself, except that they’re on tomorrow. Antony Green has an index of candidates and the ABC will be publishing results, no doubt in more digestible form than the New South Wales Electoral Commission.
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New South Wales council elections thread
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366 Comments
I’ll be in Fairfield (west ward) for the day. Anyone else handing out HTVs?
By the way vote for change, kick Labor out!
You might be typing raw HTML into the visual editor… flick over to the HTML editor, or just use the buttons in the visual one. (This will make it easy for you to do proper lists now, too!)
Of course – thanks Jeff.
Does this mean that we will get a thread on the Victorian council elections in November?
I’ll be in Campbelltown. I think it’ll be a very bad day for Labor and a very good day for the Greens, although I doubt we’ll see much shift in councils like Campbelltown.
I’ll be voting in Ward C of Hornsby Council – I’d expect Liberals posing as Independents will win the seats here.
No 6
Excellent.
The Libs didn’t endorse anyone here in the Sutherland Shire… which is strange. So now I know – I must put the Independents last on my preferences.
Unfortunately there are no Greens in C Ward.
Generic Person: Liberals always win here, nothing new!
And I’d expect the Greens to hurt Labor more tomorrow, particularly in Marrickville, Waverley, Leichardt.
Hey CountArach, it’s Landslide from the other place – yes, I’m Evan in real life!
Yeah, the Greens will be making some great gains.
Count, how will the Greens do in Miranda/Sutherland Shire?
I’ll vote for the Greens running in my Hornsby Council ward, you’ll be pleased to know.
Shame on the Greens.
“Count, how will the Greens do in Miranda/Sutherland Shire?”
Ummm, I’m not sure. The area is pretty Conservative and we lost votes here at the last Federal level. I would expect that some disillusioned Labor supporters will come over, but we also have some other minor environmental parties running, which may split the vote.
“I’ll vote for the Greens running in my Hornsby Council ward, you’ll be pleased to know.”
Good on you mate.
Labor giving 2nd preferences to Liberals and Greens last in Woollahra,
Turnbull territory.
I’m definitely lodging a protest vote against Labor, particularly over Premier Rees promoting that corrupt bastard Tripodi to the Finance Ministry.
No 15
If you’re voting Greens, it’s not really a protest vote. It goes straight to Labor.
Vote independent or Liberal if you want to actually affect change.
GP don’t you under stand the voting system?
If you are handing out HTV’s you should familiarize yourself with the system and stop making ignorant incorrect statements.
Yep 18 is right – we use OPV, not CPV.
What rubbish. The Greens have been the strongest voice in exposing this government’s corruption and incompetence.
To right Ben all the dirty details here:-
http://www.democracy4sale.org/
You will have nightmares.
No 18
My apologies. Too much WA election lately.
Hmm, from the NSW Electoral Commission site.
Here in WA it isn’t compulsory to vote in Council Elections full stop, and most councils are elected via Postal Voting and have done away with physical elections.
Oh and there is no overt Party Politics either – ie no Party endorsement, Bunting etc.
Is there any media coverage… anywhere tomorrow night?
hahahaha – is it compulsory to vote in these elections?
You poor suckers. Like Frank, we South Australian’s get off easy, letter in the mailbox every couple of years asking us to tick a few boxes, and zero (or at least minimal) party politics.
I always try to get interested. Usually end up failing spectacularly. I just – like most others – can’t summon the enthusiasm. Which is probably why we always get such incompetent council members I guess.
Compulsory voting doesn’t help the enthusiasm levels or the competence of the elected councillors.
We get the same incompetent ego-maniacs and time servers in the pocket of developers as everyone else. Oh well, at least the primary school will have a sausage sizzle on.
Traditionally there have been very few Liberals running as Liberals in the past, they ran as Indepedents. Obviously feeling confident this time around.
Like most, I think Labor will get a kicking today. The Greens will benefit close to the city and the Liberals everywhere else. Good Independents will do well everywhere.
My first vote ever as a New South Welshperson, how exciting. Fortunately I got a nice ALP brochure in my letterbox or I wouldn’t have a clue who to vote for. I don’t even know what ward I’m in. Nor do I know whether we are currently in or out of power here. No doubt after tonight we will be out.
How do I get an avatar?
Any chance of a return to normal government in Wollongong and Shellharbour? I haven’t heard any news.
Surprise, we don’t have wards, just a citywide vote for mayor and councillors. In beautiful voting weather, I voted for Tom Mavec for mayor. I know nothing about him but I’m sure he’ll be a splendid mayor. I always get a thrill from voting, and I am always filled with admiration for the peaceful, pleasant, civilised way we conduct our politics.
Looks like Cambell Newman will lose his crown as top elected Liberal this weekend, either in WA or maybe a Lib Lord Mayor of Sydney.
Or is Brisbane Council larger than Sydney, I think so and maybe Grylls will keep Cambell’s title in place.
But I forgot Cambell is not a Lib he is a LNP. Barnett, if he becomes premier will be kind of L-NP so maybe its the Sydney Mayor?
Or maybe not.
Reba Meagher (ex Health Minister) has announced her resignation from parliament. Nathan Rees can’t take a trick. But what a bizarre day to do it. Why not wait until tomorrow after the council elections.
For a Liberal who has suffered for last 10 years it is great to see Labor begin to eat their own. The Liberals could take power through a series of by-elections over the next 2 years (unlikely but possible).
Roman numerals. Formal or informal?
(I know it is formal at federal level)
What’s Labor’s majority?
If the voter’s intention is clear it is formal. I know votes in Arabic numerals have been declared formal, so Roman numerals probably would be too.
ruawake, there’s no way the Libs are going to win Sydney. They’ll come second last after the Independant candidate. Moore will win on the back of Greens/Labor preferences, if not outright.
The Greens are going to clean up around the state, though they’ve got a huge chance of improving numbers in Sydney with Labor preferencing them.
It’s ALP 53, Coalition 34, Inds 6. A majority is 47, so Labor would have to lose seven by-elections to become dependent on the Inds.
Does anyone know off the top of the bat how many (if any) of the four seats the Libs are likely to win in the upcoming NSW by-elections? From my reckoning there are going to be four of them, presumably they will be held on the same day.
While a seat like Iemma’s is unlikely to go Liberal, it could very well fall to a decent independent (or even a Green perhaps) such is the state of the Labor brand in NSW at the moment. Mind you, I’m sure Barry can find some way to stuff it up…
Ryde would be vulnerable to the Libs, the other three to Greens or good local independents. If the Libs don’t win Ryde in the current circs, O’Farrell can start looking for a new career.
William, perhaps we can have a thread on the forthcoming NSW by-elections?
On the to-do list, Adam.
There’s no way the Libs will win Sydney lord mayoralty. I’d give Clover Moore 90% chance with a slim chance of the ALP winning. Anyway, it’s much much smaller and less significant than the City of Brisbane.
I’ve just finished a day at Robert Townson polling booth in Campbelltown. Labor had an exceptional result in 2004, winning 7 (up from 5 in 1999). There’s 2 Libs, 1 Green and 5 Indies (including two on Russell Matheson’s ticket).
Labor should lose support, but I can’t see them being devestated the way a lot of local ALP tickets will be. My prediction: Labor to lose one to the Libs (ALP 6 Lib 3). It’s also possible that the Greens will gain one seat at the expense of either another ALP councillor (reducing them to 5), Bob Thompson, Sue Dobson, or Russell Matheson’s #2 councillor, Paul Lake.
I’ll try and update with results around the state as the night goes on, if I can get to an internet connection.
Port Macquarie will be won by the Nats.
In fact the by-elections will be a bigger risk for O’Farrell than for Rees. Everyone expects Labor to get routed, so if we can hold any one of the four that will look quite good, and Rees can spin it as “the start of the road back” etc. But if O’Farrell fails to win Ryde (swing required 9.9%), he’s through.
Bear in mind that of the four seats one is not held by the ALP and two of the others won’t fall, no matter how bad the ALP falls. The ALP will not lose Cabramatta or Lakemba, so any attempt to spin the ALP “only” losing one of its three seats is ridiculous.
Adam, I agree. I am surprised that the “expectations” game has already been won by Labor. Everyone expects Libs to win Ryde. I think O’Farrell should be doing more to lower expectations – the usual “average swing is 3 point something and so it will be difficult to win” etc.
A 9 percent swing is huge but everyone expect the Libs to get it. If they don’t I think Mike Baird will start to count numbers.
I wouldn’t put Port Macquarie in the Nationals box so quickly. Two strong independents will give them a run for their money and are likely to draw preferences away from them. One is Rob Oakeshott’s press secretary and the other is Lisa Inteman, a former councillor who’s got the support of a few big community groups.
We also don’t know if the Libs are running a candidate, which would fracture the conservative vote, but by the time it came to preferences I don’t think it’d be that big of a deal.
I want to change my password, can someone tell me how?
Ben, I’m talking about Cabramatta, Lakemba, Rockdale and Ryde, all held by Labor. Labor could indeed lose all four. By-elections are not like regular elections. British Labour just lost Glasgow East, one of the safest seats in the country. We lost Bass Hill when Wran resigned, and it was just as “safe” as these four. In the current circs, holding any of them would actually be a surprise.
Max and others
LGAs in NSW have quite a lot power and spend a shedloada money especially ones like Blacktown City where the budget is enormous. More people will vote in Blacktown than in for example NT. The population of each ward dwarfs those of WA lower house seats.
Max at 37, spot on, Fatty O’Barrell will probably do something disasterous, pick a candidate who is a murderer, mafia members, etc, etc. It’s happened before in NSW. The best the good people of NSW can hope for is for the Greens to pick up some of these sets (Lakemba, Cabramatta). Have you noticed how Lee Rhiannon has been getting excellent news coverage lately? I’m not a Greens voter by any means, but happy to see them leading the agenda.
On VERY early figures LIB may pick up two seats in Blacktown’s First Ward
I would have thought it would be prudent of the ALP members to run as independents.
I must say I’ve looked at 3 or 4 wards (is that what you call them?) and have seen many independents and no ALP listed in the party column.
Not being from NSW I really have no idea where these places are.
Blacktown First Ward ALP 38%
Also, Gosford, Sydney and Campbelltown are all bigger than federal electorates and don’t have any wards, so it’s quite a large contest. There’s a few bigger councils, but they all have wards.
Don’t mention the war. All their publicity was for your “Local Labor” “teams” (most of whom probably loathe each other)
these would be mostly rural LGAs where to admit you were ALP would mean instant social death
The numbers are miniscule. The Libs are on 120 and that comes out as 40%.
I doubt more than 1000 votes have been lodged in the whole of the Sydney metropolitan region.
But the ABC site is much better than the NSWEC site, unsurprisingly.
On the Electoral Commission NSW site waht’s it mean if there is no party or “Independent” listed beside a person’s name. I would have thought you’d either be a member of a party or independent.
Very few urban councils have any votes lodged, mainly Baulkham Hills, Blue Mountains and Sutherland and Blacktown, and all in their most rural areas. It’s far too early to say anything about anything.
ALP vote holding up based on VERY early figures in Blacktown Third and Fifth Wards
Where does it say “No Party? It either has a party or it says “IND”, for independant.
In councils where every candidate seems to be an “Independant” you can be sure they’re Nationals, Liberals or Labor in disguise.
Thanks albertross, I’m on a steep learning curve when it comes to local elections , especially when they’re being held in NSW.
NSWEC way ahead of ABC
No, it doesn’t say “no party”, there is a blank.
Albertross, 40 votes out of 77 counted is a meaningless figure.
Not really going argue against that Oz – I did say “VERY”
Should’ve said “VERY, VERY”!
Roughly, how many people would be in each ward / area call it what you will? I take it voting is compulsory.
http://vtr.elections.nsw.gov.au/status.aspx?type=lgcc
Does that mean that counting for most councils, including Sydney, won’t begin till next week? Or is it only talking about the make-up of councils after preferences have been allocated?
Don’t worry, I’ve found the enrolment numbers.
Very Very Very early count in Blue Mtns Fourth ward GRN 53%
Greens are going off in Marrickville.
even on just 1% counted, looks like clover moore will poo it in
did i mention i need a life?
Very early results in C’town suggest a big swing to the Libs away from the ALP.
Marrickville – they get to whack BOTH Mr and Mrs Albanese – even if it is at arm’s length
Sydney shaping up to be Clover Moore vs. Chris Harris (Greens). I don’t think anyone’s doubting that she’ll win easily.
Blue Mtns 2nd Ward with nearly 10% in GRN 31%, ALP 19% LIB 24%
Shouldn’t have mentioned Campbelltown. Depressing figures.
Blue Mountains is a weird place. Half the wards have the Libs in the lead, the other half with The Greens.
Blue Mtns 1st Ward with the sainted Naomi Parry as lead candidate ALP 9% with 5% counted
heh
Greens with 53% in Leichardt with 7.3% counted.
God I love the inner-city.
Greens – 57% in Marrickville.
Cessnock Ward A 5% in
ALP 8%
LP 34%
GRN 32%
ALP vote seems to be collapsing in Cessnock an ALP heartland (vvvvv early figures)
The mayoral election is what’s exciting in Cessnock. If current trends continue and assuming Liberal preferences to The Greens instead of the Independent, they’ll take the top spot.
mayoral elections are preferenced or first past the post?
Oz are the Libs smart enough to have thought of this?
Leichardt – Gadigal/Annandale-Lchhrdt Ward.
Greens have more than Libs and Labor put together, 55%.
50% of the overall vote.
bloody hell the greens are taking over the world
I don’t think the Libs have to be very smart to win just about everything today, and to help the Greens win what they can’t win themselves.
Labor 16% for Mayor of Queanbeyan, so my first vote in NSW is for naught
In Randwick North Ward GRN 40% LIB 40% Daylight third
Zombiemao, I know that they’re preferenced in some seats (Sydney is one) but I’m not sure about others.
albertross, I’ve always wondered about the Libs preferencing Greens over Labor which they do in a lot of areas, even though Labor is more ideologically related. Obviously they do it to stop them getting into government but with increased Greens votes it isn’t going to keep working as a tactic. If even a decent percentage of Libs preferences go to The Greens then that’ll be enough to make it toe-to-toe against Labor.
Unfortunately zombiemao, inner-city Sydney doesn’t equal the world. =(
pfffft sif the suburbs and the rurals count
Cessnock is very weird. Labor still flying high in the mayoral position but getting hammered in both wards with counts so far, with a 40% swing against them and The Greens in front with 40% of the vote.
Greens are going to get at least half the positions in Leichardt going by figures at 20% counted.
It’s a pretty pass when coal-mining towns vote Green. What do they think they are going to do for a living, mine tofu?
I really want to see Socialist Alliance outpoll the Libs in Marrickville.
It’s not unprecedented, Adam. Tasmanian’s do the same thing. They’re economy is largely based on forestry, something vehemently opposed by The Greens but a huge proportion (relatively) of Tasmanians vote greens. So you’ve either got people against coal because they see the destruction it causes first hand or maybe even some of the miners who see the writing on the wall when it comes to fossil fuels.
Electoral Commission’s packed it in for Sydney and given it Clover after only counting 1% it seems, lol.
Crap, I need to slow down.
I doubt many timber workers vote Green in Tas.
Ah, but timber and forestry is hardly under the same kind of public scrutiny as coal-mining. But the 30% of people voting Green could just be that anti-coal minority.
hmm i blacktown the greens have bugger all
An 8% swing against ALP in Sydney mayoral election. And the ALP has a better known candidate this time than last!!
I can hardly wait the 2 years until the state election. The ALP could be like the Canadian Progressive Conservative party a decade or so ago (reduced to 2 seats).
yup big swing to clover moore group over all in sydney
The greens appear to be doing very well in inner city areas, it appears that when the ALP primary vote collapses at the 2011 state election, we might well see the greens win some seats in these areas. I live in Campbelltown, I am expecting the ALP vote to hold up relatively well here, although they may lose one or two seats to the Liberals. I wouldn’t expect too much from the greens in outer suburban areas.
Clover Moore must be rigging. 56% of the primary vote and the next candidate is Chris Harris from The Greens way back on 16%. That’s just ridiculous.
Unfortunately that might also impact on the referendum whether to divide into wards or not. Everyone recommended “Yes” except for Moore who said “No”. With only 0.2% of the referendum votes in “No” is in the lead 64%.
I look forward to continuing domination of Redfern by Glebe and Darlinghurst.
again greens and others doing better. the exodus from lib/lab continues
Wards are an ALP ploy… look at the situation in Botany – divided into 2 cllr wards – result = uncontested
Interesting point David, but one of those inner-city seats The Greens would be wanting to pick up in the state election is Sydney and the current position Labor is in is more likely to solidify Clover Moore’s position there rather than swing to The Greens.
greens getting killed in ryde
Steve Annabelle -yep and a less than 2% swing to the Libs. They’ll have to do better than that at the next election in 2 and a half years.
The situation in Botany is not an indication of a problem with wards, but an indication of a problem with Botany. If I remember the details correctly, Botany is one of only two councils in NSW where the votes from the leading ticket in one ward flow on to the next, guaranteeing domination by a single party. I’m not sure if that’s the exact situation but it’s something weird and almost unique.
Oops, make that less than 1%.
I can report continued fireworks in Sydney – must be Moore.
The greens would have little or no chance of picking up Sydney….the old Bligh if Clover stands again in 2011 given her personal profile, although in my view they have a very good chance of picking up Balmain and also Marrickville.
Garry, I don’t think the Libs would expect to get a swing in Sydney. But I am sure they are enjoying seeing Meridith Burgmann get a belting.
The libs will be happy to see innercity seats (Marrickville, Sydney) go to the Greens.
yeah.
considering the complete diaster that is the nsw alp, the libs can’t get a break.
Sorry I forgot Clover already holds Sydney. Must be the Chardonnay.
Greens cementing their positions in Marrickville, Leichardt and are leading overall in Randwick.
Clover Moore still cheating in Sydney.
Ryde has ALP going up 3% (Libs up 33%) and others down 67%. Can someone from Ryde explain this?
To me it means the Libs didn’t run last time Steve. I could be wrong.
When talking about State politics, don’t forget Heffron, the new Planning Minister Kristina Keneally’s seat. It’s considered “safe” Labor but The Greens are only 2% behind the Libs on first count. If the council elections are any indication, it isn’t unlikely that The Greens would pick it up on Lib preferences.
gary.
yup. thats what it is
Ryde does seem to be an anomaly in terms of losing Green votes and gaining Labor votes.
In Blacktown Fifth Ward (one of the most economically deprived areas in NSW that is ignored by all major parties equally) with 20% in – ALP 60%
Go figure
Burwood with 10% has an 11% swing to Labor, a 17% swing to Liberals and a 10% swing to The Greens. Go figure.
Blue Mtns City looking very bad for the ALP trailing in 3rd place or worse
Heffron is demographically quite different to Balmain, Sydney and Marrickville. The ALP primary vote was well above 50% at the 2007 election meaning preferences are meaningless. I think you would have to see the ALP’s state wide primary vote fall well below 30% before the greens could be considered a realistic chance.
Greens might manage to get 6 of the 12 positions in Marrickville as well. Primary vote is down a tad in Leichardt but I still think they’ll manage 6 with Labor help. So my estimate so far is two Green controlled councils up from 0 last election.
want weirdness…look at auburn
Very early figs in Auburn
Hmm, I was basing my punt on an at least 8% swing away from Labor in Heffron which would definitely put it the air and if around 60-70% of those votes went The Greens it’d be a close contest between the two. But I’m probably being too optimistic.
10% isn’t that early.
What’s weird is a 10% informal. That’s very high. Something must be up. I’m sure the good people of Aurbun haven’t forgotten how to vote.
The ALP vote is holding up very well in Campelltown, although some of their strongest booths like Airds North and Claymore have now come through. Only a -1.2% swing against the ALP at this stage.
Ah, we left out Ashfield!
Only a tiny swing away from Labor but 12% to The Greens.
@Oz 129
Greens have been in power in Randwick in a so-called “unholy alliance” with the Liberals.
The good people of Auburn are probably not used to voting or even if they are – not in English. A large percentage come from Middle East (eg. Iraq etc). I suspect it is just lack of knowledge not a deliberate act.
Wow Marrickville’s looking to be completely dominated by The Greens and Labor, with a Green majority and couple of independents.
Disappointing night for GRN in Lake Macq where there were hopes…
Does anyone know what the quotas on the ABC website mean? They seem to add to 4, even when 3 councillors are being elected.
Looking at Sydney is depressing. I’m not so much against Clover Moore’s policies, but seeing a candidate win by that much just seems un-democratic. Unless it’s your candidate, of course.
At least the referendum race has tightened up a bit.
Labor has polled 18% for Mayor of Newcastle. Dear me.
Has democracy been abolished in Woollongong and Broken Hill?
ALP vote holding up in Fairfield no doubt much to relief of the anointed one who is slated to replace Reba. (who she? – ed)
They should pick up one or two, albertross?
4% in at Manly and ALP trailing LIB and GRN on 5%
Wow, Greens outpolling Labor in Waverly as well.
Adam, Wollongong council along with Port Macquarie-Hastings were sacked earlier this year. Dunno what happened in Broken Hill.
Huge comeback for The Greens in Cessnock, now trailing Labor 25-32.
Maybe only of interest to me, as a local but…
http://www.abc.net.au/elections/nsw/2008/council/?page=Hurstville . My local council.
Labor backlash is somewhat expected for obvious reasons…however, the result for the Unity party is surprising. Heck its more than Labor.
For those who don’t know, Unity is a minor party formed in reaction to Hanson’s comments about Asians. Resultantly multiculturalism is its main platform. It is also the case that it’s members are all Asian, and it core base are Asians. It was always been Labor-supporting in its history (Perception that Libs condone Hansonism/dog whistle politic left deep suspicions about anything with the Liberal party),
Which makes it even more surprising that such a large swing is given to them… could it be some of the Labor vote has spilled to them, outside their traditional base?
Waverly is now LIB controlled with GRN in opp
shinigami – They are right. If there are 3 to be elected then a quota is 25% +1.
The Greens are doing much better than I expected in Waverly. When you combine those results with those of Randwick, it makes for a fascinating three way contest in the state seat of Coogee in 2011.
rape rape rape!
Screw it, I’m so excited I’m saying 7/12 for The Greens in Leichardt.
In many areas Unity has been a stalking horse for the Libs.
Diaz ran for Unity in 2004 and LIB in 2008
I wouldn’t want to be Verity Firth looking at those Leichardt results!
Who cares about local govt elections…. Wallabies lead All Blacks 17-10
Make that 17 – 7. Chardonnay induced typing problems again.
Heh, ignore my entire post. It all became irrelevant after I clicked refresh. Must be some major booths reporting in =S
Everything is back to normal
omg GO WALLABIES!!!!!!!!!
We’re winning wheelchair Rugby too!
Baulko may fall 11 to 1 Liberal to ALP
Obviously Sertse, a lot of Labor voters are looking for a “safe” place to park their votes as a protest against recent events, but without voting Liberal.
Large amount of Sydney booths in. 9% swing against ALP. 4.5% swing to Libs. Good result for Libs and especially for Clover Moore.
Interesting figs in Penriff ie. all over the plice
The swing’s there in the Mayoral vote but they aren’t going to win so it doesn’t mean anything. In the council vote there’s no swing to them and it doesn’t look like they’re going to pick up any new seats.
Labor annihilated from 3 seats to 1.
Holroyd West Ward should see the election of young Ross Grove representing the Liberal interest.
One of those political tyros the Libs keep putting up in western Sydernee like they did with Dezman in Blacktown last time. It will be interesting to see if Roscoe has more stamina than Dezman.
Nice young chap even if he is a Liberal…
More Labor problems in Randwick, once their best performing area. Could well see them go from 4 seats down to 2.
Labor is now getting two quotas at Queanbeyan, so our sitting councillors are probably back.
Sorry that was Waverly.
Randwick – This must the first time in a while the Libs have outpolled Labor.
Collingwood is getting thrashed so the night has some consolations.
In Blacktown First Ward (the part that thinks it should be in Baulkham Hills) the Libs lead ALP on Group votes. However the lead ALP candidate has a huge personal vote.
Everything is swinging our way now. Labor doomed in 2011!
The only issue I have with Clover winning the way she has is that the odious Garry Lalbraith will be even more odious in victory. (I went to Uni with Larry for my sins).
Wobblebies self destruct
HOnest John – if the dark forces of the right couldn’t have some pickups at the moment they should have given up. However 29 months is a looooooong time in NSW politics.
Dear old Lazza, is he still working for Clover?
Yes Wobblies continue their recent tradition. I think the ARU needs to do something about the crowds. There are more NZ supporters then AUS in Sydney and Brisbane these days.
Anyone else waiting for Mr. Green to give us a wide-angle view of what’s going on.
In Blue Mtns Fourth Ward it looks as though the Libs have taken the concept of family values to the MAX!
GRP E
CREED, Fiona LP
CREED, Graeme LP
CREED, Michael LP
Ah, that’s ridiculous. get a real job you bludgers.
Great Joy, the Wobblebies has just beaten themselves
In Hawkesbury GRN are running second to LIB – bit it’s 39% to 9% (that is with about 33% in )
In Byron with 10% counted it looks like GRN on about 31% Group plus 11% below the line for Jan (”go you good thing) Barham vs everyone else. Next highest is an IND Group with an aggregate 30%.
In Byron Jan Barham GRN has 51% in the mayoral race. WHEN are they going to persuade Ian to give it up and put her into the LC?
Cessnock has resumed normal service with the ALP in control…
Albertross,
In Penrith’s South Ward the CDP are showing their family credentials too:
GREEN Andrew Christian Democratic Party (Fred Nile Group) 94
SCHRUMPF Joanna Christian Democratic Party (Fred Nile Group) 2
GREEN Douglas Christian Democratic Party (Fred Nile Group) 2
GREEN Arran Christian Democratic Party (Fred Nile Group) 2
GREEN Nelson Christian Democratic Party (Fred Nile Group) 0
albertross – it’s good to see that you think a 10% swing is “normal service”. I look forward to more 10% swings in 2011.
Any figures for overall NSW vote?
I am wondering why in my council (recent arrival) there is a big swing TO the ALP at the moment in the mayoral race (7%) and council itself (9%). Spooky methinks at them moment.
oh and the council is canterbury
Sannabelle
I would not argue with your analysis. I was just correcting any misapprehensions based on very early figures.
Pretty good result for the Libs in Fairfield. We managed to secure a decent swing in what is a very safe Labor area.
Lord D
Probably not relevant with so many LGAs party free zones
With 25% in the ALP vote in Manly has collapsed. This a state seat the ALP has held/done well in for years.
If the Libs couldn’t manage swings to them under these circumstances they should give up the game. Is the swing bad across the board or are there pockets holding out? I’ve looked wards up but not knowing the history the figures mean little to me I’m afraid.
Wow, that Manly vote looks strange. There is a swing against Libs in Mayoral vote. But ALP only gets 5% in the Council vote. That is seriously low.
In Marrickville GRN has topped the poll in all four wards. Is this a record?
Will we see an ALP/LIB/IND coalition there?
Labor has won Manly twice in its history, in 1978 and 1981, and hasn’t come close since.
The LIBs in Manly are Fuglies. The current local member and putative Saviour of the Libs in NSW is one of them with strong links to the “The Family” via his pa.
People in Manly voted strongly IND
Gary Bruce, you sound like a person complaing about a neighbour’s fence that needs painting… all the while ignoring the fact that your own house has burnt to the ground.
Was it so long ago? I remember it as though it was yesterday… with Li’l Al gimping his way up the stairs to the celebrations and a sore head for a week…
I don’t know much about NSW local govt elections, but it doesn’t look as if the Libs are picking up huge swings. If they can’t do that, it doesn’t look that great for them. You can compare with the last UK local elections, when the Tories flogged Labour 45-24.
I believe 78 and 81 were the years of the two great Wranslides, when Labor won 55%+ of the PRIMARY vote.
Lord D
UK LG politics is far more the creature of the parties than it is here. But that is changing at least in NSW especially the really big LGAs.
Steve Annabelle – what in the heck have I said that suggested that? I’m after info not criticism.
In Gosford (home of the Iguana Bar) GRN and ALP neck and neck on 15% behind LIB on 33%
In Newcastle it looks like the IND Tate is safe as mayor with really close races for most of the wards
can some one please advise me how group preferences are distributed
Is a preference distribution registered with the sec … like the senate & nsw upper house?
eg alp has 2 quotas but is short of a third remaining 2 candidates are also less than
a full quota… i presume lower of 2 would be excluded then those preferences would
be distributed to the remaining 2 candidates
GRN top the poll in all four wards in the Leichhardt SSR. Another LIB/LAB coalition in opposition?
I give Leichhardt and Marrickville GRN councils about 3 weeks before whoever survives that long as the state ALP minister for Local Govt. to move to dismiss them for being “unworkable” and putting administrators in.
Or am I being too cynical?
No 204
LG elections are seen as more of an inconvenience to most NSW voters anyway. If they were a real barometer we would have wildly different results in federal and state elections.
I think it’s great the Greens are doing well. It shows, I think, that the people are saying to the major parties “a pox on both your houses”.
With one third in GRNs running second in one of the wards of the Fascist State known as Warringah and may get one poor soul up to represent all that is good and honest. But prefs may tell against them…
Interesting: it looks like the Greens will win 2 seats on Hornsby Council(my area)!
Labor might get one seat too, assuming they get Green preferences.
Overall: a patchy result for Labor. They’ve done badly in inner city areas – Sydney City, Randwick, Waverley, Randwick, their vote has gone to the Greens & Clover Moore.
But, conversely Labor’s vote seems to have held up in Western Sydney, Strathfield and Canada Bay.
And, although the Liberals have done well in some places, I can’t see much evidence of some huge swing to them, so I find it hard to believe that O’Farrell can take much out of this.
Holroyd Council (centred on Merrylands near Parramatta) ALP 36% Lib 32%. And in the South ward they are outpolling ALP. I didn’t realise there was a liberal section of Holroyd.
In Lismore GRN running second to Country Labor – that’s with about a third of the vote in.
I have heard through a source that the Liberals think they could win the mayoralty in Liverpool. That would be unheard of. At present the candidate has 20% but claims that preference flows are moving his way.
That might be something for Barry O’Farrell to gloat about.
Dare I say having a new Premier from Western Sydney helped Labor hold council seats in places like Parramatta/Blacktown?
In Ballina GRN leading in one ward with 2/3rds in.
Nathan who?
Decent chance of Greens candidate Ray Goodlass getting up in Wagga… (6th in group totals 0.74% quota … a reasonable preference flow from group G is expected this time around… also from ALP Ind Elliott-Rudder)
Liberal and Labor are rooted, honestly. Labor are rooted for obvious reasons. Liberals are rooted because with EVERYTHING going for them, the vast majority of votes went to the Greens and independents.
This is a good day for local communities at the expense of partisan and selfish politics.
Steve A
Holroyd has traditionally been a very conservative area.
They prided themselves on having the lowest rates in NSW. Of course not having bourgeois things like public libraries and having residents leaching off the the ones in Blacktown and Parramatta helped with that.
It is a very small LGA too. I mean in area compared to say all the surrounding ones. It should have been amalgamated years ago.
I really want to see state wide votes, or something that can compare the state of the parties now compared to previous years.
No 222
Ditto albertross.
Indeed, it would seem that in many safe Labor areas that the turmoil of NSW politics had little significant influence. Which immediately suggests that voters are clever enough to distinguish between the issues of all three levels of government.
It was interesting that the Australian Business Party polled reasonably well in a few LGAs. Can’t understand the point of the party, except to fragment the Liberal vote.
No 225
I disagree. Janice Crosio ruled that area for a long time. It is a working class area. I know because I used to live there.
“I really want to see state wide votes, or something that can compare the state of the parties now compared to previous years.”
I agree Oz it really is hard to get a handle on.
Clearly they don’t see any parties that have the interests of business close to their hearts… irony much?
Oz
It wouldn’t be apples with apples.
There are a lot of councils with no elections eg. W’gong
I think it really is difficult to get proper statewide votes in a council election, because there are so many independents and groups that change from election to election.
For example, from the figures on Antony Green’s site, there is a 32.4% swing to the Liberals in Holroyd, but this is their figure, so presumable they didn’t contest the election last time. These figures make it very hard to see how they are doing.
I think it is OK to look at councils or regions and examine the major parties, but there is not a lot of analysis, other than Labor down a lot, Greens up a lot, independents doing well.
One thing, I don’t think Craig Wing has made it onto Randwick Council.
There are a few, true, but out of the 170? councils would they make that big a difference? Let’s take them out of the equation of the previous results then.
We can look at every council result individually and make guesses to the final vote and then weight them according to population… but that would take a very long time.
We can already see things that are fairly across the board – Labor losing, Greens and Libs gaining. But even that isn’t really uniform. Kind of just want some way to quantify the general “feeling” that’s come out of these results.
GP
Janice only controlled the western end of Holroyd. The City (joke) is split between four federal divisions: Prospect, Parramatta, Reid, and Blaxland
Prospect is much larger than the Holroyd LGA ie. 4 times as large in area.
From memory the Parramatta booths in Holroyd are majority Liberal.
Valid points, Boundary Man, but it is frustrating not being able to have conclusive figures as to the state of mood in the… state and the state of the parties. Of course these are council elections and the issues vary council to council but they can be used to gauge public mood regarding state issues and people are going to try, but it’s hard with ad hoc figures at present.
Oz
Frankly the results are all over the place. I expected the ALP to be uniformly thrashed. But this is not the case. There are respectable ALP showings all over the place.
In Blacktown’s Third Ward there were two fine INDs both well known in the area. However it looks like it will fall 2 ALP and 1 LIB. The LIB is not even a resident.
Why do the political parties persist in putting up Rugby League people as candidates?
Graham Annesley couldn’t win Miranda at the last N.S.W state election.
I agree OZ. But I also wonder, why in Canterbury the ALP is holding up and doing about the same whereas in Marrickville, just along the Cooks River, the ALP is getting flogged. Partly it is demographics, Canterbury is old-Labor and Marrickville is green left. Linda Burney will have no trouble, but Carmel Tebbutt might be in trouble.
I think we actually jumped the gun a bit. We saw the ALP get hammered in pretty much 90% of the regions and saw the Greens increase markedly in about the same number, and get control of two councils and increase their number of seats by a pretty big proportion.
And then things kind of slowed down and we thought “Well it’s not that bad because they kept spots and gained a few” but if you’re comparing councillors today to what councillors yesterday the definite thing in there is a thrashing of Labor.
It’s interesting to note too that Labor’s vote is actually up in the Canada Bay Council area – Homebush, Drummoyne, the Olympic stadium site etc
You are right on that last one Oz.
I think Rees needs to bring on an early election to clear the air rather than have all the by-elections.
Part of it is demographics but part of it is the unique situation The Greens are in. On top of their core support base of the far-left (comparatively) and environmentalists, they get votes from people who just “anti” the two major parties, they get Liberal votes from the upper-crust who are a bit worried about climate change, and more pronounced in this election, they get Labor votes from people who believe in social democracy and traditional Labor things but really despise the machine Labor has become.
It’s a very mixed bag and usually The Greens do well in areas that have a mixture of all the above. Trendy left-wing types, environmentalists, more affluent people with an environmental conscious, left-leaning working class, disenfranchised voters and disenfranchised Labor party voters. Inner-city areas manage to have all those kind of diverse groups.
Who got 32% of the votes last time in Canada Bay and aren’t contesting it this time? Are the independents re-badged? Is it part of the anti-amalgamation battle from earlier?
Yeah he does need too and it would be the best thing for the State, but I don’t think he wants to jeopardise his position and become the shortest serving premier in history.
Were Kevin Ryan, Michele Cleary and John Fahey merely the boofs that prove the rule?
Won’t happen. Fixed terms and all that.
A fixed term can be got around if you want to. Lose all those by-elections and see if some of the rats don’t vote down a confidence motion.
Considering the byelections: the Liberals don’t have a prayer of winning Lakemba and Cabramatta. Labor might be in more danger if there are a couple of decent independent candidates in those seats. We’d agree the Nats will get back Port Macquarie, and the Libs should take Ryde.
How many by-elections are we talking about? Are they all in losable seats?
No, as Evan’s pointed out the Libs are probably only going to pick up one – Ryde.
I don’t think the Nats are a shoe in though in Port Macquarie though, for the same reasons I said before.
GB
Yesterday I thought that the ALP was in jeopardy in all of the seats but I think that Evan14 is close to the mark…
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/moores-2030-vision/2008/09/13/1220857899028.html
Light rail in the CBD and Green Square. It could be worse!
Is there an Oakeshott like Independent in Port Macquarie?
FWIW Nathan Rees will never go down as the shortest serving NSW premier. Apparently this record will always belong to Sir George Fuller who held office (wait for it) for all of 7 hours on 20th December 1921.
Thre will be by-elections in Ryde, Lakemba and Cabramatta.
Everyone expects that Ryde will be lost. Lakemba and Cabramatta are not without precedence. Remember Bass Hill and Wran.
Oakeshott’s press secretary is running as an Independent as is a former councillor who was one of the few to emerge from the recent sacking with any dignity as she opposed to whole fiasco that led to it. She has the support of resident and community groups. But we don’t know if the Libs are running, which could lead to a fracturing of the conservative vote.
Mind you, there’s still a decent possibility the Nats will assert themselves again in Port Macquarie but there a few unknown quantities that we shouldn’t write off.
There’s always an aggrieved Nat hanging around…
Ah well, he tried.
Well, that’s three, if what you say comes about.
Yes but do you remember the name of the successful Liberal?
A: Mick Owen (who he? – ed)
If we could figure out what would be the worst possible outcome for the NSW Coalition we’d know.
In Orange the perennial GRN candidate Jerry Buckingham may may make in a squeaker…
hey all,
I’ve spent the night following the results but haven’t been able to contribute much. I’ll be compiling results for the Greens so will have some more insights. However I should point out that in Ryde the Greens ran in one ward, that’s why we fell in terms of overall vote.
In my own Council of Campbelltown the council is very stable. The five independents look like being re-elected, along with the sole Green (with a much greater vote). Labor has lost its seventh seat to the Liberals. That’s it.
The people of Cabramatta will get an MP who actually lives in the electorate.
Reba was known as the defacto member for Coogee.
Must be pretty happy with Marrickville, Leichardt, Waverly etc. Ben.
At present the following anti-Labor swings have been recorded in “traditional” ALP councils:
Ashfield -1.8%
Auburn -2.3%
Bankstown +1.6%
Blacktown -3.6%
Canada Bay +4.5%
Fairfield -3.3%
Leichardt +0.6%
Penrith -3.2%
Rockdale +0.5%
Marrickville -10.4%
Randwick -12.9%
Outside of the Green heartland, the ALP has done remarkably well. And this surprises me. The news so far is about a Labor hammering. But on this cursory and preliminary glance, the ALP has done well.
I am not sure why no-one other than the ALP contested in Botany.
We talked about the Botany thing before, something about votes flowing through that guarantee something blah blah. Something stupid.
I don’t agree with your assertion that “Outside of the Green heartland, the ALP has done remarkably well.” First of all, the fact that there is now a “Green heartland” and one that extends beyond inner-city Sydney is a new phenomenon. Secondly, swings against them in a majority of councils isn’t going to be considered doing well by many commentators or anyone in the ALP.
It might seem ok if you went in thinking The Greens and Libs were going to carve up NSW between them, but that was a tad optimistic. But I will say that the failure of the Libs to capitalise in many areas or in fact cede ground in some is a stark indictment on them when they should have, and indeed were, in prime position.
Albertross what are you talking about? Jeremy’s ticket polled 1.47 quotas. Jeremy is in safely with those numbers.
I’m delighted with the Greens performance. I would’ve liked to see a second Green on Campbelltown but we’re now within striking distance for 2012.
Ben m’boy
I was looking at the raw NSWEC figures. You are right based on ABC figures. I worry about preferences.
Oz, on the figures I put there, there are swings TO the ALP in 4 out of the 9 councils. The largest anti-ALP swing is 3.6%. I think that swings of this magnitude against the ALP considering the week they had and considering the expectation that they were going to get smashed does evidence a good showing by the ALP.
The commentators may say the ALP has done badly, but this does not mean that it is true. The ALP will have done VERY VERY badly in Randwick, Sydney and Marrickville. Yes, but outside of the inner-city, in the areas above the ALP seems to have done well in terms of votes and minimising the swings.
In Leichardt, where the Greens have done well, this has not been at the expense of the ALP. The ALP has increased its vote.
Botany is the nearest thing we have to Newark NJ. It’s very bad for your health to run for Council in Botany unless you are an endorsed ALP candidate.
Plus the fix is – two cllrs per ward makes it impossible to get anyone other than a major party up
albertross – but why did no-one outside of the ALP even bother to nominate for any ward or for the mayoralty.
I don’t think the ALP gets enough votes there to guarantee 2 councillors in all wards.
Is it possible to find online somewhere to see who is preferencing who?
Ben
How many cllrs are GRN now?
Boundary Man
See reason 1
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,24343261-5005361,00.html
“Labor holding on in local elections”
Laz
Preferences are at the option of the voter. There is no automatic distribution of preferences unless the voter actually indicates a preference either above the line or below the line
This is unlike the systems for the Senate and NSW LC.
Hmm, I still think that if you’re going by number of Labor councillors yesterday and number of Labor councillors today(Not sure how else you would go), it’s a resounding kick in the face for Labor and the overall swing IS against them, so there’s really no other way to spin it.
who said the alp was going to lose in liverpool? no chance surely.
It’s good to see that loathsome Australia First Party in the Sutherland shire only got 0.8% of the vote…
If people are thinking Labor has done well in Parramatta, well I can see them winning 6 plus 1 former-ALP independent. That is down from 9+1 at the last election (out of 15).
There is even the possibility (which is hard to gauge on the primary votes) of the Liberals winning an extra spot to 6, and having a working majority with two independents.
Even Nathan (Who?) Rees being a local hasn’t saved them.
Seems to be a similar story in Holroyd too (and in Baulkham Hills).
The ALP have lost many council seats today.
I think the true barometer would be whether the Libs would be happy with the results. My guess is not.
Hey Albertross,
I’m currently calculating the number of seats we’ve definitely won and how many we may have won, but it’s taking a hell of a long time. We’re doing very well though.
So I’m still refining my estimates, but it looks like we’ve won a solid 65-70 seats and could crack 100 if every close contest goes our way, but more likely it’ll be somewhere in between. In comparison we won 58 in 2004 and about 25 in 1999. The Victorian Greens have 14 councillors and Tasmania has 13, I think, so it’s pretty stunning to be considering close to 100.
A new day dawns, and yes there are less Labor councillors than there were yesterday. before people start to catastrophise over the Labor losses, we need to take into consideration that the 2004 local election was a bonanza for Labor all over the state. Before any of the tragic events transpired there was little hope that the same results would be achieved.
To establish a fact. Magpiepete, Labor won the 2004 election with 8+ 1 (Labor independent) loosing one along the way. Labor will still be the largest single party on council.
Yes, Labor has copped a whacking but the beneficiaries, it seems, has not been the Libs. The Greens have improved their position greatly.
I’d like to know how many additional seats the Libs have won overall.
Also of interest, mainly to locals I’ll admit given the insistence on being ‘Independent’ on the ballot paper, are results in the Lower North Shore of Syd.
First Green Cllrs elected to North Sydney (polling nearly a quota in Wollstonecraft Ward), Lane Cove (2 lead candidates from two elected) and Willoughby. From 0 to 4 Cllrs is not a bad achievement at all!
LC Central Ward: Lib 58%, Green 42%. I think this is a record for the area.
LC West: Green on just under a quota, outpolled the incumbent (and reasonably popular) mayor by 4 votes. Around 24%. Beaten by about 2% by an endorsed Lib.
Willoughby West: 1st in a field of 5 with 32ish%.
North Syd in general has become more progressive, with 6 supporters of the current mayor & LGA Pres Genia McCaffery elected to 5 conservatives and 1 Green – the Green tipped the balance from 6-6 at the last election.
LC still conservative, with 4 Liberals (first time in a while that they’ve endorsed candidates!), 1 cons IND (incumbent mayor), 2 Greens and 2 broadly progressive INDs. A bizarre result in West Ward where Fran Tierney (IND but aligned with ALP) saw her vote collapse to less than 10% off a strong showing last time. Running as endorsed Libs has helped them consolidate, at the expense of cons INDs.
Willoughby – who can know what the heck is going on there. But off state 2007 figures the Greens have roughly doubled their vote – must remember presence of a local IND in that seat last time around, might have dampened the Green vote (probably not by much).
If these results/swings replicated – Green to be 2PP challenger in Lane Cove at state 2011, swing to Green on 2PP in North Shore where we’re already in the count. Willoughby up for bizarre flows if IND and/or Unity run again.
Has anyone found booth-by-booth results on the NSWEC site? Would be useful right now.
Some nice sweet ones in there like Dot in Armidale Duamaresq and a possible two in Lane Cove
Let’s see how competent the Greens are at running local councils in Sydney.
It’s a make or break position for them now. If they can do some good things and get the community on side, they can cement their position as a really dominant force in local politics.
But if the electorate views this period as a waste then we might see a swing back to the majors. However I think that’s more unlikely, trends in every election for the last few cycles have been votes away from majors and to minor parties and independents.
Yes but the Libs run most of their people for local government as independents, so they can’t claim victory as a party when they get elected. Here in Queanbeyan, for example, Tim Overall was elected Mayor over Labor’s Tom Mavec. Overall is well-known to be a Lib, but since he ran as an independent the Libs can’t claim him.
The Greens shouldn’t get too excited. Most people who voted for them did so because they were “other” – not the ALP, not the Libs. If they’d run as the Free Teddy Bears Party they’d have done just as well. On top of that, many voters dislike party politics in local elections and tend to vote for “other” anyway. This trend won’t necessarily follow through into state or federal elections. Certainly, unless Labor sorts itself out, the Greens will have their best shot at seats like Balmain and Marrickville in 2011. But Labor has shown before that it can effectively defend inner-city seats by mounting hard-hitting campaigns that remind voters of the Greens’ sillier and more extreme policies – on drugs for example. Labor’s campaign in the Albert Park by-election last year was a classic example.
“Labor avoids complete annihilation by spreading misinformation and attack ads” – Nice.
I wouldn’t claim that most of the votes are just from people looking for an alternative, even in seats with other minor parties and independents there were strong swings to them.
Clearly you need to be more than just not Labor or Liberal to get figures like 15, 20 even up to 50%.
No you don’t.
Or to put it another way…
Whenever I feel afraid
I hold my head erect
And whistle a happy tune
So no one will suspect
I’m afraid.
The result of this deception
Is very strange to tell
For when I fool the people
I fear I fool myself as well!
Rofl. K.
When you two have something sensible to say I’ll respond.
Adam
When you say something other than what you cull from the talking points email we’ll respond sensibly…
I write the talking points emails, albert.
I’m always amused by the way Greens think they are exempt from the laws of politics. They adopt all kinds of extreme policies, then when other parties call them on those policies, they get all self-righteous and offended and say, “hey, you can’t criticise us, we’re the Greens, we love trees and stuff.”
In Albert Park, Labor pointed out that it was Vic Greens policy to close selective high schools. There is a large selective high school, MacRob Girls High, in the electorate. So Labor put out an ad asking the Greens why they wanted to close one of the best schools in the area. Shock horror! Howls of outrage! How DARE Labor remind the voters of our silly far-left policies!
Oh, did Labor point it out? Forgive the fine people of Albert Park for being confused since the letter didn’t mention the ALP or the local candidate.
Anyone who’s read Green policies on education knows that the goal isn’t to run around hunting selective schools and shutting them down. But clearly it’s easier to misrepresent that and also come out with stupid statistics like “Greens vote with Liberal 68% of them!”. Hmm, and Labor votes with them even more! Shock horror!”.
But this is all very off-topic.
Well, not really. Because after last night we will see lots of Greens crowing about how Labor is on the way out in the inner city and how the Greens will win Balmain and Marrickville etc. I’m reminding you that Labor knows how to defend these seats and will do so. When you play with the big kids you have to expect to get sand kicked in your face.
They didn’t do a very good job of defending them yesterday…
Labor lost skin yesterday and plenty of it but, given the circumstances you couldn’t expect them not to surely. The amazing thing is that that’s all they lost. It could have and maybe should have been far worse.
Oz, I am talking about state electorates. I already said why I think local elections are different.
Gary, yes. Now that I look at the results, it wasn’t nearly as bad as it might have been.
Adam
With $16 million plus in developer donations in the past 5 years you would expect the LAB/LIBs to do well wouldn’t you?
Or they just for sator-ial purposes?
I am in favour of banning corporate donations to all parties.
I think we can write this off as damage control.
So it shows that if your leader says you’re going to get absolutely smashed, and then you do get smashed but not quite “absolutely” you’re allowed to pat yourselves on the back.
To a limited extent, yes. I’m not saying it’s a good result. I’m saying it could have been worse.
Kevin be praised, the drought has broken! (In Queanbeyan anyway)
One of the Labor candidates in Blacktown rang my mate’s mum (the lead Green candidate) and told her that she’s currently only 17 votes behind the lead liberal candidate for the 3rd spot in the ward after the transfer of Labor’s surplus votes. Australia first polled 5% so it will come down to their preferences.
I estimate the Greens won between 66 and 102 seats, depending on how preferences flow in some wards.
DR Adam, sweetie! Your comments are hilarious! Amazingly our gender has MOVED on darling and the Greens are IT!!!!! Get with it or get out!!!!!
Which gender would that be, Brenton dearest?
Your reply REVEALS ALL Sweetie!!!!! Very tired of ALP Conservatives!!!!! No matter what gender, Sweetie!!!!! SO many people are SO upset , at all the socalled with ITS!!!!!The ALP are on the DOWN, SWEETIE!!!!!
Adam, I don’t know any Greens that will not defend our actually policies, but the ALP in Victoria think that they can spin about us and think if they say it enough, and loud enough, then people will believe it without qualification. We ARE outraged by this stuff because we are very careful not to play that game ourselves. For example, the ALP claimed we made a deal with the liberals and the evidence? We voted with the Libs 90% of the time in the upper house. Not an untruth, but a stupid gambit given the ALP voted with the liberals at something like 70%! A lot of the time all three parties voted together. In the period quoted by the ALP the Greens and Libs voted against the ALP together 6 times. And if you want to talk about non-existent preference deals can i just say Senator Fielding? Cheap shot, I know. Old politics, dishonest politics, business as usual. The Libs hate us more than they hate you and they never talk to us. They have preferenced us in the inner city to embarrass the ALP but you wait and see who they preferenced next time if they think we have a chance of winning lower house seats. Will that indicate an ALP/Liberal deal? Of course not.
You continue to say we have looney policies, especially on drugs. Care to elaborate? Care to defend the overwhelming success of the Labour/Liberal deal on drug policy? Use of legal and illegal drugs under control? Associated antisocial behaviour under control? Organised crime control on the wane? How criminalisation and the subsequent incarceration of drug users is working great guns?
Message to the Greens, you are not taking over the Inner city, so you are winning council seats well done, the City of Melbourne has had several Liberal party mayors, I don’t see the Liberal party claiming they are going to win the seat of Melbourne and have not won a seat covering Melbourne CBD for 100 years.
The Greens are very touchy, sure the Liberals and the ALP people can be as well but the Greens are good at playing the victim
The Greens are travelling well as the Liberal Party has declinded, but in many cases the Inner City has a history of three or four major political groupings, the Greens have not invented the wheel.
In writing that the Greens will continue to envole as will the ALP and the Liberal party but as much as things change the more they will stay the same.
Greensense the reson why the Liberal Party does not talk to you is they feel you will not talk to them and aince you are rather predictable in always perferencing the ALP why would the Liberal Party talk to you, just as the ALP know they have your perferences in the bag, this will change when the Greens start being more than a protest party which is starting to happen but will take a generation or so and will happen has the Green vote grows but like any party you have a natural limit remembering both major parties claim about 35% of the primary vote.
mexicanbeemer, We have no intention of talking to the Libs about ANYTHING and the moment we do, I’m out of here. No deals with the Tories. Period. There are members of the Greens that think the trees are more important than broader issues and would do a deal no matter what. Their influence is of no significance. You are beginning to see some sophisticated approaches by the Greens on many levels. Eg, the problem in the senate is…..
Its interesting that the Greens have now had two weeks of stellar results, a 4 % swing to them in WA, twice the size of the swing to the conservatives and now this result in NSW. There are the conditions for the perfect storm for the greens for the next few years, ALP in trouble at State level, Federal ALP at historic highs, a completely delusional and inconsequential LIB thing that no one really wants to vote for and a growing membership and public awareness around CC and environmental/sustainable issues. etc.
I wonder how the MM will spin these latest movements, or will they use their old techniques of ignoring a party that gets 25% of the vote of the old parties yet struggles to get 10% of the coverage.
Greensense! I understand that the Greens are not talking to the Liberal Party but in your comment you seemed to wish they did talk to you. I can think of many issues that should Interest the Greens in fact should Interest all Political Parties, you mention Trees! yes the Enviroment is a very Important policy area but and not inspite of trees for an unhealthy Enviroment is unhelpful to anyone but the boarder issues are things like increasing traffic congestion, failed welfare poilcy which sees why too many Australians locked out of the Education and Employment market, many of these people waste away on DSP and general welfare, and increasing violences caused by a Legal system that has become soft and an Education system that is obessed with trying to please everyone rather than just focusing on teaching childern how to be adults, of cause I could go on all night but this is a thread about the NSW Local Government elections.
The Greens are the big winners.
The losers are the two majors and their reliance on dirty developer money.
The ALP, Libs and Nats didn’t have the clackers to brand candidates on Saturday. The ALP bloke in Wagga simply blacked out the ALP logo on his corflutes. Gutless. Lots of Liberal Party money flying around but no Liberal Party candidate. Again gutless. The Nats stood the NFF’s Farmer Brown with no official endorsement but lots of money. Gutless yet again.
The fact that there is (likely) going to be a Green on Wagga Council – in the peaceful form of Ray Goodlass – speaks volumes.
Bring on the 2011 NSW state election. The Greens are going to give the machine-dominated, head-in-the-sand ALP a run for its (considerable) money.
Adam in Caberra 308
So we should ban corporate donations
But Union donation is fine?
If you want to ban something ban all donations
The green does not accept property developer donation …. that is because they do not want to donate to the Greens
Greensense
The enemy of an enemy is a friend.
I would be surprise if the Lib does not preference the Greens
Politics is not about stitching up the other faction or the other party, that is ALP politics, politics is about getting good legislation that will benefit the people through, without hurting too many people. When the Greens moves closer to that, they will be more likely to hold the balance of power
That is also why the ALP preference the Nat in WA
follow the preference
That would be wrong
The swing to Lib was 2.8% the swing to National was 1.5%
The ALP in WA and independants lost 4% to the Greens and 4.3% to LIB?NAT
Dovif,
It would be interesting to see where the voters went, I fancy that the majority of the ALP votes went to the Greens but we will never know. It will be interesting to see if the Northern Territory/WA jump in the Greens vote continues in the next election. I think its the ACT election.
Oh and by the way , the strategy of “my enemies enemy is my friend” is a very slippery slope.
Any more new information on the Council elections.
I see Adam is here sprouting the same nonsense as that anonymous letter sent to Albert Park residents.
It’s an old trick to keep saying extreme over and over again (much like Weapons of mass destruction and Iraq) and hope that the mud sticks. Whether you like it or not the Greens are slowly but surely gaining and Labor cant keep using the same tricks. The number of people who are mistrusting Labor pamphlets keeps growing each time. It may well be the Party that cried wolf a few too many times.
The Greens are gaining ground in Melbourne, Northcote and Brunswick. Richmond is changing and Demographics will push away from the Greens. Prahran is also slowy turning Liberal in Demographics as well as Albert Park. Even John Thwaites was aware of that.
Labor will find itself fighting on two fronts in coming elections. Inner city against the Greens and everywhere else the Liberals.
damian – The first “after preference” results have come in but they’re from small country councils where everybody runs as an independent so they don’t tell us much.
Damian! Prahran and Albert Park have always been Liberal by nature I would also throw Hawthorn into that group!
Richmond, Melbourne, Brunswick historically were more socialist.
The reason that the Melbourne City Council has such a conservative tinge is because it has all those business and landlord voters and the fact that the municipal reforms in the first term of the previous state Liberal government cut some residential (read left wing) areas, such as North Carlton, out of it.
Richmond would almost certainly go to the Greens at the next election if the ALP promises to build the road tunnel because that is one of the areas most effected by a connection to the Eastern Freeway in an area that is very left wing (Fitzroy/North Fitzroy).
Melbourne has a large anti-left swing in the ever expanding Docklands area (very high income).
R.I.P. The cosy arrangement between the LIB/LAB and their dominance at all levels of government all across Australia is DEAD.
Thank goodness for The Greens and their honest friendly visionary policies.
There is still a lot of work to be done to clean up our governments and councils, but it can be done and The Greens are showing the way.
Any one who can’t see this historical watershed taking place across Australia,
have not been paying attention,
or are paid party hacks spinning to save their jobs.
Thanks to all The Greens, we love you.
In the eight council polls fully counted (all contested by at least one registered political party) the figures are follows:
ALP 24
LIB 18
GRN 16
IND 27
GRN pickups: 5
The NSWEC site is a schmozzle. To get the elected candidates results (after they’ve counted preferences) you need to download a PDF, which only has the names, not the parties. It takes a while to go through but so far I’ve managed to work out the following
Leichardt
6 GNS
3 LIB
2 ALP
1 IND
Lane Cove
4 LIB
3 IND
2 GNS
Marrickville
5 GNS
4 ALP
3 IND
Hurstville
5 ALP
3 IND
2 LIB
1 GNS
1 UP
Waverley
5 LIB
3 GNS
3 ALP
1 IND
Kogarah
5 LIB
4 ALP
2 IND
1 UP
Ashfield (Only 1 ward counted so far)
1 GNS
1 IND
1 LAB
I think these are the rest of the results in councils where party names were used and all wards have been counted. I may have missed a council or 2 but I’m pretty sure I haven’t.
Holroyd
4 ALP
4 Holroyd Independents
4 LIB
Manly
5 LIB
3 Manly Independents
1 GNS
1 IND
1 ALP
North Sydney
11 IND
1 GNS
Randwick
5 LIB
5 ALP
3 GNS
1 IND
1 No Parking Meters Party
Ryde
4 ALP
4 LIB
4 IND
Strathfield
3 ALP
2 LIB
2 IND
In Woolondilly, the Greens were the only party to use their name and only ran in 1 ward but just missed out it’s 9 IND.
First Results from Blacktown in.
Ward 1 has gone 1 ALP, 1 LIB and 1 IND.
More results
Blue Mountains ( 2 of 4 Wards counted)
2 GNS
2 ALP
2 IND
1 LIB
Hawkesbury
5 LIB
5 IND
1 ALP
1 GNS
Penrith (1 of 4 wards counted
2 ALP
2 LIB
1 IND
Rockdale
5 ALP
5 LIB
3 IND
1 GNS
1 Yvonne Bellamy Independents
Sydney
5 Clover Moore Independents
2 GNS
1 ALP
1 LIB
Tweed
5 IND
1 GNS
1 LIB
I’m STILL hanging out for the Wagga result.
I’ll be further hanging out if the Greens get a spot on council: a celebratory nudie run down Bayliss St is on the cards.
Full Ashfield now in and a few others.
Ashfield
4 ALP
3 GNS
3 IND
2 LIB
Canterbury
5 ALP
2 IND
1 LIb
1 GNS
Parramatta (No Greens in any ward for some strange reason)
5 ALP
5 LIB
1 Parramatta Better Local Government Party
1 Lorraine Wearie Independents
1 Woodville Independents
Penrith
6 ALP
6 LIb
3 IND
@ Fagin – according to the Greens rundown they got up in Wagga – Ray Goodlass
I’ve made a spreadsheet with all the results so far with the council name then amount of candidates elected by party for that council area and the party name or persons name if Independent for directly elected mayor. If anybody wants a copy put your email address here or send me an email – pauly_aus @ hotmail.com
p.s I’ve only included councils where the candidates ran under party names, all the councils where every candidate is an Independent are not included.
Spreadsheet now available at – http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=p9osV30CxRFwUgxwLKYjNBw
Fagin – Wagga results are in. Goodlass was elected. Start warming up for that nudie run.
YOU LITTLE RIPPER.
A Green on Wagga Council!
Who’d have thunk it?
Off with the daks…
Spreadsheet and graphs available at my blog – http://australiavotes2007.blogspot.com
Fagin,
Wouldn’t that be a crime against humility?
At this stage of counting GRN are now represented in these additional LGAs:-
Armidale Dumaresq (in New England)
Burwood
Canterbury
Hurstville
Lake Macquarie (2)
Lane Cove (2)
North Sydney
Tweed
Wagga
Warringah (2)
Willoughby
GRN lost ground significantly in Newcastle where representation has dropped from 4 to 1 but in most other areas where GRN candidates ran they held their ground or increased representation.
Of particular interest are the pick ups in areas like Lane Cove, North Sydney and Warringah where the ALP has either never run or has done so sporadically.
Perhaps so, GG.
A bigger crime against humanity is local governments – particularly Wagga, with its cashed-up middle-aged male WASP councillors – shacking up with developers and bulldozing community concerns along the way to a personal profit.
A Green, in the form of Ray Goodlass, on Wagga Wagga Council is a breath of fresh air.
Let the gorillas beat their chests and thump the table. Ray Goodlass will do no such thing. Ray’s a humble man of peace who brings vibrancy and colour to the white bread world of Wagga Wagga City Council.
As a side note: Farmer Brown of the NFF won 7.3% of the group ATL & BTL. The Greens won 6.1%. Not bad given the size of the LGA and the history of Wagga. The big winners in Wagga were the cashed-up Lib stooges (where did the money come from? Don’t worry, I’ll find out) who are promising to build a Hiscock Memorial White Elephant, on Hiscock land with ratepayer money, in times of great economic uncertainty.
Money still rules.
2 Greens got elected to Hornsby Council, including one in my ward!
At least 1 Labor candidate also won a seat!
Liberals posing as Independents still have a majority, but not a bad performace from the left/progressive forces in Hornsby.
2 GRN elected in Orange which is a tribute to the continuing councillor Jeremy Buckingham whose sterling efforts to make a difference in a highly conservative rural area have been rewarded.
Full results (besides Hornsby and Maitland) now on my blog. No Greens in Blacktown, Fairfield, Baulkham Hills, Great Lakes, Bankstown, Sutherlad, Queanbeyan, Liverpool, Holryod, Ryde, Strathfield, Penrith and Parramatta.
http://australiavotes2007.blogspot.com/2008/09/updated-results.html
I wonder how many who voted for the fellow who topped the poll in Hornsby Ward B were INXS fans who just weren’t concentrating. (Clue http://hornsby-advocate.whereilive.com.au/news/story/fresh-blood-demanded-attained/ )
I mean Ward C ^
You think with all the dosh and us having to go to the bother of having to register and all the comments could be edited
Albertross: I live in Ward C!
Yes, having the same name as the late, great former lead singer of INXS would have been a help to Mr Hutchence.
I’m pleased we got Andrew Martin from the Greens elected in my ward!
GRNs now have a total of 71 elected representatives on 41 LGAs in NSW.
GRN councillors are on the following councils for the first time: Armidale Dumaresq, Ballina, Burwood, Canterbury, Hurstville, Lake Macquarie (2), Lane Cove (2), North Sydney, Tweed, Wagga, Warringah (2) and Willoughby.
Other notable results include Leichhardt where the Greens control the Council in their own right and Byron where Jan Barham was elected as mayor with 50% of the vote with 3 GRNs on council to support her.
GRNs increased their representation in Blue Mountains, Cessnock, Coffs Harbour, Gosford, Hornsby, Orange, Sydney and Woolahra.
The black spots for GRNs were Newcastle City (where GRNs went from 4 to 1 seats), Maitland and Ryde were their councillors stood for relection but lost.
GRNs did not contest Palerang and Pittwater where they previously had representation.
E&OE
albertross,
thanks documenting this historical occasion.
For years The Greens have been banging on the door of the 2PP Club,
Now they are in the Bar having a nice drink.
Cheers.
Results from all the referendums now on my blog.
http://australiavotes2007.blogspot.com/2008/09/2008-nsw-council-elections-referendum.html
A Ray of Goodness on Wagga Wagga Council:
http://www.waggaguide.com.au/?id=arayofgoodnessoncoun
Fagin: two Greens and one Labor candidate got elected to Hornsby Council – good result for the progressives in a blue ribbon Liberal area!
Good work Hornsby.
As you know, I’m deep in rum drinkin’, ‘roo shootin’, ute rootin’, Army-RAAF recruit country.
An openly gay Green on Wagga Council is pretty special.
The ALP sure got a kick in the nuts across NSW.
The ALP lost me (and my wife) for good long before Gillard started doing Margaret Thatcher impersonations.
Are you sure about that? 60% in parts of Blacktown seems more like a fondle.
@364
They may have but Blacktown is Labor heartland. I could put my dog up as a Labor candidate and it would get 50-60% of the primary vote. Also, in some booths (well Ward 5 anyway) there were only Labor people there. At Dharruk, where I helped the Greens for a few hours there were no Libs or anyone from any other party besides Labor. A few other booths had no Libs and the Greens ran out of HTVs in a few booths.
More booth results on my blog. If anybody wants me to do any booth results for a particular ward/council let me know here or on my blog.