Kempsey Shire is a local government area in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, Australia.

Kempsey Shire
New South Wales
Location in New South Wales
Coordinates31°05′S 152°50′E / 31.083°S 152.833°E / -31.083; 152.833
Population
 • Density8.546/km2 (22.13/sq mi)
Established1 October 1975 (1975-10-01)
Area3,380 km2 (1,305.0 sq mi)
MayorLeo Hauville, (Independent)
Council seatKempsey
RegionMid North Coast
State electorate(s)Oxley
Federal division(s)Cowper
WebsiteKempsey Shire
LGAs around Kempsey Shire:
Armidale Bellingen, Nambucca Tasman Sea
Walcha Kempsey Shire Tasman Sea
Walcha Port Macquarie-Hastings Tasman Sea

The shire services an area of 3,380 square kilometres (1,310 sq mi) and is located on the Pacific Highway and the North Coast railway line. Kempsey Shire was formed on 1 October 1975 by the amalgamation of the former Kempsey Municipality and the former Macleay Shire.[3]

At the 2011 census, Kempsey Shire had a high proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people residing within its boundaries; being 11.1 per cent of the resident population, more than four times the national and state averages of 2.5 per cent. The shire also contains a coastal strip that was identified in 2007, and confirmed in 2015, as one of the most socially disadvantaged areas in Australia.[4][5][6]

The mayor of the Kempsey Shire is Leo Hauville, an independent politician.

Suburbs

edit

Towns and localities

edit

Towns and localities in the Kempsey Shire are:

Kempsey suburbs

edit

Other localities

edit

Demographics

edit

At the 2016 census, there were 28,885 people in the Kempsey Shire local government area, of these 50 per cent were male and 50 per cent were female. The median age of people in the Kempsey Shire was 47 years; some nine years older than the national median. Children aged 0 – 14 years made up 17.2 per cent of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up 23.9 per cent of the population. Of people in the area aged 15 years and over, 43.9 per cent were married and 15.7 per cent were either divorced or separated.[7] At the 2011 Census Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 11.1 per cent of the population, more than four times the national average.

Population growth in the Kempsey Shire between the 2001 census and 2006 census was 1.86 per cent; and in the subsequent five years to the 2011 census was 2.73 per cent. Following this, the growth between the 2011 Census and the 2016 Census was 2.67 per cent. When compared with total population growth of Australia for the same periods, being 5.78 per cent, 8.32 per cent and 8.81 per cent respectively, population growth in the Kempsey Shire local government area was significantly lower than the national average.[8] The median weekly income for residents within the Kempsey Shire was significantly below the national average,[7][9] being one of the factors that place parts of the Kempsey Shire in an area of social disadvantage.[10]

At the 2011 Census, the proportion of residents in the Kempsey Shire local government area who stated their ancestry as Australian or Anglo-Celtic exceeded 81 per cent of all residents (national average was 65.2 per cent) and in the 2016 Census, this value was 79.4 per cent compared to the national average of 62.3 per cent. In excess of 62 per cent of all residents in the Kempsey Shire nominated a religious affiliation with Christianity at the 2011 census (62.9 per cent in 2016), which was higher than the national average of 50.2 per cent (49.2 per cent in 2016). Meanwhile, as at the 2011 Census date, compared to the national average, households in the Kempsey Shire local government area had a significantly lower than average proportion (3.3 per cent) where two or more languages are spoken (national average was 20.4 per cent); and a significantly higher proportion (91.9 per cent) where English only was spoken at home (national average was 76.8 per cent).[7]

Selected historical census data for Kempsey local government area
Census year 2001[8] 2006[9] 2011[7] 2016[11] 2021
Population Estimated residents on census night 26,887 27,387 28,134 28,885 30,688
LGA rank in terms of size within New South Wales 62nd 61st 60th
% of New South Wales population 0.41%
% of Australian population 0.14%   0.14%   0.13%
Cultural and language diversity
Ancestry,
top responses
Australian 35.3% 34.2%  41.1%
English 31.7% 30.4%  40.4%
Aboriginal Australian 11.3%
Irish 8.3% 8.5%  9.5%
Scottish 6.0% 6.3%  8.7%
German 2.6% 2.7%  3.5%
Language,
top responses
(other than English)
German 0.2%   0.2%   0.2%
Tagalog 0.1%   0.1%   0.1%
Cantonese n/c n/c   0.1%
Dutch 0.1%   0.1%   0.1%
French 0.1%   0.1%   0.1%
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation,
top responses
Anglican 29.9%   27.7%   26.6%  22.1%  17.2%
Catholic 25.9%   25.4%   25.1%  22.0%  18.5%
No religion 11.9%   14.6%   17.8%  25.6%  37.5%
Uniting Church 9.8%   8.7%   7.6%  5.9%  4.5%
Presbyterian and Reformed 3.9%   3.5%   3.2%
Median weekly incomes
Personal income Median weekly personal income A$319 A$386 A$474 A$550
% of Australian median income 68.5%   66.9%  71.6%  68.32%
Family income Median weekly family income A$614 A$902 A$1,107 A$1,347
% of Australian median income 59.8%   60.9%  63.84%  63.54%
Household income Median weekly household income A$737 A$748 A$894 A$1,085
% of Australian median income 62.9%   60.6%  62.17%  62.14%

Council

edit

Current composition and election method

edit

Kempsey Shire Council is composed of nine councillors, including the mayor, for a fixed four-year term of office. The mayor is directly elected while the eight other councillors are elected proportionally as one entire ward. The most recent election was held on 30 July 2022.

Election results

edit

2024

edit
2024 New South Wales local elections: Kempsey[12][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent 1. Alexandra Wyatt (elected 1)
2. Julie Coburn (elected 6)
3. June Wilson
4. Gail Ryan
5,195 29.6 +20.6
Independent 1. Kinne Ring
2. Annette Lawrence (elected 2)
3. Adam Matchett (elected 8)
4. Tyrone Walker
3,639 20.7 +13.4
The Selby Team 1. Noel Selby (elected 5)
2. Charanjit Bedi
3. Richard Pearson
4. Lindsay Keay
2,299 13.1 +8.7
Independent 1. Dean Saul (elected 3)
2. Scott Butterfield
3. Rebecca Clifford
4. Grant Simpson
5. Tina Carney
2,253 12.8 −9.8
Greens 1. Arthur Bain (elected 4)
2. Michael Jones
3. Vicki Taylor
4. Beris Derwent
2,213 12.6 −7.3
Independent Ben Paix (elected 7) 1,551 8.8 +8.8
Independent Troy Irwin 252 1.4 −2.6
Independent Trevor Martin 107 0.6 +0.6
Independent Stephen McNamara 29 0.2 −0.3
Total formal votes 17,538 89.3 −3.5
Informal votes 2,108 10.7 +3.5
Turnout 19,646 81.8 +3.1

2022

edit
2022 New South Wales local elections: Kempsey[a]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Quota 1,890
Independent 1. Dean Saul (elected 3)
2. Scott Butterfield (elected 5)
3. Michael Vella
4. George Thring
3,843 22.60 +18.40
Greens 1. Arthur Bain (elected 1)
2. Dianne Nolan
3. Caroline George
4. Graeme Carrad
3,246 19.90 +9.70
Independent 1. Simon Fergusson (elected 2)
2. Joshua Freeman
3. Daniel Freeman
4. Margaret Moir
2,099 12.35 −8.85
Independent Anthony Patterson (elected 4) 1,909 11.23 +7.83
Independent Kerri Riddington (elected 7) 1,562 9.19 +3.39
Independent Alexandra Wyatt (elected 6) 1,537 9.04 +1.04
Independent Kinne Ring (elected 8) 1,234 7.26 +2.96
Independent Noel Selby 753 4.43 +1.43
Independent SFF Troy Irwin 507 2.98 −0.32
Independent Bruce Raeburn 119 0.70 −1.80
Independent Andrew Evans 102 0.60 +1.40
Independent Stephen McNamara 91 0.54 +0.54
Total formal votes 17,002 92.82 +5.22
Informal votes 1,315 7.18 −5.22
Turnout 18,317 78.50 −2.80

2021

edit
2021 New South Wales local elections: Kempsey[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent 1. Simon Fergusson (elected)
2. Joshua Freeman (elected)
3. Amber Piercy
4. Daniel Freeman
3,440 21.2
Independent Liz Campbell (elected) 1,912 11.8
Independent 1. Vijay Craigie (elected)
2. Kevin Thorne
3. Mark Shanney
4. Leslie Freeman
1,886 11.6
Greens Arthur Bain (elected) 1,649 10.2
Independent Alexandra Wyatt (elected) 1,299 8.0
Independent Kerri Riddington (elected) 934 5.8
Independent Kinne Ring 704 4.3
Independent Dean Saul 685 4.2
Independent Mark Baxter 618 3.8
Independent Anthony Patterson (elected) 558 3.4
Independent SFF Troy Irwin 537 3.3
Independent Sue McGinn 509 3.1
Independent Byron Fegan 416 2.6
Independent Bruce Raeburn 397 2.5
Independent Andrew Evans 331 2.0
Independent Noel Selby 329 2.0
Total formal votes 16,204 87.6
Informal votes 2,289 12.4
Turnout 18,493 81.3

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ Changes compared with the results at the 2021 elections.
  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Kempsey (A)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 7 July 2017.  
  2. ^ "3218.0 – Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2017–18". Australian Bureau of Statistics. 27 March 2019. Retrieved 27 March 2019. Estimated resident population (ERP) at 30 June 2018.
  3. ^ "Local Government Act 1919. Proclamation (114)". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. 5 September 1975. p. 3561. Retrieved 16 January 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ Vinson, Tony (February 2007). "Dropping off the edge". Jesuit Social Services and Catholic Social Services. Retrieved 10 April 2007.
  5. ^ Horin, Adele (26 February 2007). "Stuck in a down town". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  6. ^ Vinson, Tony (August 2015). "New South Wales fact sheet" (PDF). Dropping off the Edge. Jesuit Social Services and Catholic Social Services Australia. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 March 2016. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  7. ^ a b c d Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Kempsey (A)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 1 December 2012.  
  8. ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (9 March 2006). "Kempsey (A)". 2001 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 1 December 2012.  
  9. ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Kempsey (A)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  10. ^ Horin, Adele (26 February 2007). "Economic boom bypasses nation's poor". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  11. ^ "2016 Kempsey (A), Census All persons QuickStats | Australian Bureau of Statistics". www.abs.gov.au. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  12. ^ "Kempsey Councillor Election". New South Wales Electoral Commission. 2 October 2024. Archived from the original on 6 October 2024. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  13. ^ "The Selby Team for Council". New South Wales Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 18 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  14. ^ "Kempsey". ABC News.
  15. ^ "iVote failure election re-runs in Kempsey, Singleton, Shellharbour to be held July 30 despite efforts to postpone". ABC News. 8 June 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2023.