Kiama Municipal Council
New South Wales
Location in New South Wales
Coordinates34°39′S 150°51′E / 34.650°S 150.850°E / -34.650; 150.850
Population
 • Density83.19/km2 (215.5/sq mi)
Established1859
Area258 km2 (99.6 sq mi)
MayorNeil Reilly
Council seatKiama[3]
RegionIllawarra
State electorate(s)Kiama
Federal division(s)Gilmore
WebsiteKiama Municipal Council
LGAs around Kiama Municipal Council:
Wingecarribee Shellharbour Tasman Sea
Wingecarribee Kiama Municipal Council Tasman Sea
Shoalhaven Shoalhaven Tasman Sea

The Municipality of Kiama is a local government area in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. The area is situated south of Shellharbour and the City of Wollongong and is located adjacent to the Pacific Ocean, the Princes Highway and the South Coast railway line.

Towns and localities

The Municipality of Kiama contains the following towns and localities:

Municipal history

The municipality of Kiama was created in 1859. There were three wards: Kiama, Gerringong and Jamberoo. The first council comprised James Colley, John Sharpe and Joseph Pike (representing the Kiama Ward); John Hukins, John Colley and John Hanrahan (representing the Jamberoo Ward); and Joseph Blow, Robert Miller and James Robinson (representing the Gerringong Ward). The first mayor of Kiama was James Colley.

In 1871, Gerringong separated from the Kiama municipality and Jamberoo in 1892. In 1954, the Gerringong, Jamberoo and Kiama municipalities were amalgamated forming today's current municipal boundaries.[4]

Kiama has had three female mayors: Ruth Devenney (1991 until 1992), Joyce Wheatley (1992 until 2000) and Sandra McCarthy (2000 until 2012).

A 2015 review of local government boundaries recommended that the Municipality of Kiama merge with the City of Shoalhaven to form a new council with an area of 4,825 square kilometres (1,863 sq mi) and support a population of approximately 120,000.[5] The Kiama community along with the Shoalhaven community actively campaigned against any forced council amalgamation between the two councils.[6] Kiama council held a non-compulsory poll on 7 May 2016 to grasp community attitudes to the proposal.[7] The results of the poll concluded that 95% of the community supported remaining an independent council, with a 49.9% turnout.[8] On 12 May 2016, the NSW State Government determined not to amalgamate Kiama and Shoalhaven council areas.[9]

Demographics

At the 2016 census the total population of the Municipality was 21,464 people. The median age of the community was 47 years.[1]

Almost 21% of the population was born outside of Australia, predominantly migration from North-West Europe. The Indigenous Australian population is 2% of the total community population.[1]

English was spoken as a first language by 90% of the population. The top response for language other than English spoken was Italian.[1]

Council

Current composition and election method

The council of the municipality of Kiama is composed of nine councillors elected proportionally as a single ward. All councillors are elected for a fixed four-year term of office. The mayor is elected by the councillors at the first meeting of the council. The most recent election was held on 4 December 2021 and the makeup of the council is as follows:[10]

PartyCouncillors
  Australian Labor Party 2
  The Greens 2
  Independents 1
  S.A.F.E. Kiama 1
  Team Reilly 1
  We Love Kiama Gerringong Jamberoo 1
  Your Community Candidates 1
Total 9

The current Council, elected in 2021, in order of election, is:[10][11]

CouncillorPartyNotes
  Kathy Rice Greens
  Imogen Draisma Labor Deputy Mayor
  Mark Croxford Your Community Candidates
  Karen Renkema-Lang S.A.F.E. Kiama
  Neil Reilly Team Reilly Mayor
  Matt Brown We Love Kiama Gerringong Jamberoo Former state MP for Kiama
  Jodi Keast Greens
  Stuart Larkins Labor
  Warren Steel Independent

2021 election results

This section is an excerpt from Results of the 2021 New South Wales local elections § Kiama.[edit]
Elected councillor Party
  Kathy Rice Greens
  Imogen Draisma Labor
  Mark Croxford YCC
  Karen Renkema-Lang S.A.F.E.
  Neil Reilly Team Reilly
  Matt Brown WLKGJ
  Jodi Keast Greens
  Stuart Larkins Labor
  Warren Steel Independent
2021 New South Wales local elections: Kiama[12][13][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Greens 4,070 27.1 +3.3
Labor 2,553 17.0 +17.0
Your Community Candidates 2,030 13.5
You're in S.A.F.E. Hands 1,963 13.1
We Love Kiama Gerringong Jamberoo 1,706 11.4
Team Reilly 1,675 11.2
Independent 1,019 6.8
Total formal votes 15,016 96.0
Informal votes 628 4.0
Turnout 15,644 86.9

See also

  • Gainsborough Estate

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Kiama (A)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 12 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. ↑ "Council of the Municipality of Kiama". Department of Local Government. Archived from the original on 6 September 2006. Retrieved 26 November 2006.
  4. ↑ "Local Government Act 1919 – Proclamation (91)". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. 11 June 1954. p. 1718. Retrieved 8 January 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ↑ "Merger proposal: Kiama Municipal Council, Shoalhaven City Council" (PDF). Government of New South Wales. January 2016. p. 7. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  6. ↑ "Kiama locals protest over proposed merger with Shoalhaven council - ABC News". ABC News. 22 December 2015.
  7. ↑ "Kiama council to further consider plebiscite proposal". 24 February 2016.
  8. ↑ "Kiama says no to council amalgamations". 8 May 2016.
  9. ↑ "Kiama community wins - Kiama Municipal Council". www.kiama.nsw.gov.au. Archived from the original on 12 May 2016.
  10. 1 2 https://pastvtr.elections.nsw.gov.au/LG2101/kiama/results
  11. ↑ "20211129-LG-Groups-of-Candidates.pdf" (PDF).
  12. ↑ "Kiama". ABC News.
  13. ↑ "WATSON HIS OWN MAN". The Bugle Online.
  14. ↑ "Senior Liberals blindsided by dumped MP's bid to take on Gareth Ward in NSW election". The Guardian.
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