Who’s standing for local government across the region?

* Updated following new information provided by NSW Electoral Commission 8am, 15 August 2024.

The NSW Electoral Commission has published a list of everyone who is standing for the positions of mayor and councillor in the forthcoming local government elections. Quite a few new names are in the mix, while some familiar figures won’t be contesting their positions again.

Byron

There are eight councillor positions and the mayoral position up for grabs at Byron Shire Council.

Mayor

There are four candidates for mayor Sarah Ndaiye of The Greens, Asren Pugh of Labor, Michael Lyon and David Warth.

Tickets

Candidates for council include Elia Hauge, Delta Kay, Michelle Lowe and Nell Schofield on the Greens ticket.

The Labor team is Janet Swain, Mark Swivel, Peter Doherty, Diana James and Linda Watson.

A group led by Jack Dods also includes David Michie, Meredith Wray and Niamh Dove.

A group led by David Warth also includes Susie Figgis, Trisha Gizas Barker and Nyck Jeanes.

A group led by Michael Lyon also includes Max Foggon, Rhett Holt and Jeannette Martin.

Individual candidates

Ungrouped candidates are: Lucy Vader

Ballina

Over in Ballina they have a popularly elected mayor and a system of three wards, each ward elects three councillors.

Mayor

There are five candidates for mayor: Sharon Cadwallader, Kevin Loughrey, Kiri Dicker (The Greens), Phil Meehan and Andrew Broadley (Labor).

In A Ward there are eight candidates for three possible council positions: Erin Karsten (The Greens), Kay Oxley, Damian Loone, Mark Paterson, Kevin Loughrey, Phil Meehan, Steve McCarthy and Maria Marshall (Labor).

In B Ward there are seven candidates for three spots: Alexander Sharkey, Eva Ramsey, Sharon Cadwallader, Kiri Dicker, Michelle Bailey, Andrew Broadley and Tom Berry.

In C Ward there are five candidates for three positions: Simon Kinny, Simon Chate (The Greens), Shona Barrett, Lois Cook and Therese Crollick.

Lismore

Mayor

Lismore City Council has five candidates for mayor: Vanessa Ekins (The Greens), Big Rob, John Jenkins, Steve Krieg and Harper Dalton-Earls (Labor).

Ten councillors will be elected altogether.

Tickets

There are six Greens candidates: Adam Guise, Virginia Waters, Luke Robinson, Shae Salmon, Lindall Watson and Binnie O’Dwyer.

Big Rob’s group includes Mr Rob, Shaen Springall, Luke Tanttari, Christopher Knight and Stella Coleman.

Steve Krieg’s group of 11 candidates include Mr Krieg, Jerilee Hall, Andrew Gordon, Electra Jensen, Andrew Bing, Gianpiero Battista, Nardia Pidcock, Chris King, Tara Coles, Mitchell Dowse and Richelle Weekes.

Labor’s group are made up of Harper Dalton-Earls, Jasmine Knight-Smith, Kevin Bell, Joy Knight-Smith, Lewis Taylor, Glenys Ritchie and William Harrison.

Individual candidates

There is one ungrouped candidate for Lismore John Jenkins from Goonellabah.

Tweed

In Tweed Shire, the mayor is elected by the councillors once they are elected. With seven councillors to be elected, these are the candidates:

The Greens: Nola Firth (lead candidate), Mary-Jayne Johnston, Hilary Green and Julianne Sandison.

Liberal: James Owen (lead candidate), Rhiannon Brinsmead, Thomas O’Connor and Freda Wilding.

Brady Turner group: Brady Turner (lead candidate), Dirk Brouwer, Peter Weaver and Susan Mole.

Chris Cherry group: Chris Cherry (lead candidate), Lindy Smith, Julie Boyd and Trevor White.

Labor: Reece Byrnes (lead candidate), Judith Choat, Russell Logan and Marie-Antoinette Rogers.

Meredith Dennis group: Meredith Dennis (lead candidate), Jennifer Hayes, Gillian Cooper, Zachary Hoade and Edna Gorton.

Colin Usher group: Colin Usher (lead candidate), Belinda Dinsey, Jerami Grassi and Peter Sibilant.

Kimberley Hone group: Kimberley Hone (lead candidate who formerly ran for the National Party), Warren Polglase, David Allen and Hannah Easton.

Ned Wales is running with Kimberley Lloyd

Pryce Allsop (former councillor who previously ran with Warren Polglase now Independent) is running with Bill Larkin.

Animal Justice Party: Susie Hearder, Nicola Stone, Cheryl Tompson, and Sheraden Robins

Individual candidates

There are two ungrouped candidates running in Tweed they are: James Mckenzie (Independent), and Mitch Dobbie (Independent),

Richmond Valley

Mayor

There are four candidates for mayor: John Walker (yes, the former GM of Lismore and Richmond Valley Councils), Robert Mustow, Robert Hayes and Lyndall Murray.

Tickets

There are 22 people going for six positions on council, across four groupings.

Robert Mustow group: Robert Mustow, Stephen Morrissey, Sandra Duncan-Humphrys and Samuel Cornish.

Robert Hayes group: Robert Hayes, Debra McGillan, Rachel Arthur, Tracey Knox, Neale Genge and Daniel Simpson.

John Walker group: John Walker, Stuart George (yes, of Metgasco fame), Kylie O’Reilly, Scott Brereton and Anne Toohey.

Lyndall Murray group: Lyndall Murray, Bianca Rayner, Simone Barker, Samuel Allis, Kylie Maunder, Nathan Scully and Hanabeth Luke.

Individual candidates

William Drew (Independent)

Kyogle

In Kyogle Shire, the mayor is elected by the council. These are the candidates for each ward (three councillors to be elected per ward):

A Ward: Janet Wilson, Kieran Somerville, Naomi Worrall, Doug Layton and Brett McNamara.

B Ward: Olivia Taylor, Glenn Robinson, John Burley, Neil Summerville and Robert Cullen.

C Ward: Danielle Mulholland, Ian Murrell, Tom Cooper, Simon Dejoux, Earle Grundy, Robin Harley and James Murray.

Clarence

Finally to Clarence Valley, where the mayor is elected by the council. Nine councillors will be elected.

The candidates are: Greg Clancy (The Greens), Allison Whaites, Andrew Baker, Justin James, Des Schroder, Cristie Yager, Peter Johnstone, Lynne Cairns, Steve Pickering, Ray Smith, Amanda Brien, Karen Toms, Debrah Novak, Melissa Hellwig, Shane Causley, Phillip Provest and James Allen.

NSW local government elections will be held on Saturday, 14 September.

You can look up your local council candidates here.