Bayside Council
New South Wales
Location in Metropolitan Sydney
Rockdale Town Hall
Population
 • Density3,120/km2 (8,100/sq mi)
Established9 September 2016 (2016-09-09)
Area50 km2 (19.3 sq mi)
MayorBill Saravinovski
Council seatRockdale Town Hall
RegionMetropolitan Sydney
(Southern Sydney,
Eastern Suburbs)
ParishBotany, St George
State electorate(s)
Federal division(s)
WebsiteBayside Council
LGAs around Bayside Council:
Inner West Sydney Randwick
Canterbury-Bankstown Bayside Council Randwick
Georges River Sutherland Sutherland

Bayside Council is a local government area in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is located around part of Botany Bay, 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) to 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) south of the Sydney CBD. It includes suburbs of Southern Sydney as well as a small portion in the Eastern suburbs, south-east of the Sydney CBD.[3] It comprises an area of 50 square kilometres (19 sq mi) and as at the 2016 census had a population of 156,058.[4][1]

The council was formed on 9 September 2016 from the merger of the City of Botany Bay and the City of Rockdale.[5]

The Council's mayor is Bill Saravinovski, of the Australian Labor Party, elected by the Council on 20 September 2023.

Suburbs and localities in the local government area

Suburbs in the Bayside Council area are:

Bayside Council also manages and maintains the following localities:

History

Early local government history

Rockdale

The City of Rockdale was originally proclaimed as the "Municipal District of West Botany" on 13 January 1871.[6] From 1872, Council met in the first Council Chambers, a small purpose-built stone building on the western side of Rocky Point Road, Arncliffe. It continued in use until 11 December 1888, when a new Town Hall was opened on the corner of Rocky Point Road and Bryant Street, Rockdale.[7] By the time the neighbouring Boroughs of Botany and North Botany (Mascot from 1911) were proclaimed on 29 March 1888, it was clear that a name change was desirable. On 17 May 1888 the Parliament of New South Wales passed the Rockdale Municipality Naming Act (No.33, 1888), and West Botany became the "Municipal District of Rockdale".[8] The 1887 Town Hall was replaced by the current Rockdale Town Hall in 1940, and was designed by Rockdale architect Douglas Gardiner.[9] Under the Local Government (Areas) Act 1948, the Municipality of Bexley, which was located immediately to the West and had separated from Hurstville in 1900, became the First Ward of Rockdale Municipality.[10] Rockdale was declared a city in 1995 as the "City of Rockdale".[11][12]

Botany

The City of Botany Bay was first proclaimed on 29 March 1888 as the "Borough of Botany", and met from 1899 to 2016 in the Botany Town Hall.[13][14] The northern section of the City of Botany Bay was first incorporated as the "Borough of North Botany" on 29 March 1888.[15] From 28 December 1906, following the passing of the Local Government Act, 1906, the councils were renamed as the "Municipality of North Botany" and the "Municipality of Botany". The Municipality of North Botany was renamed as the "Municipality of Mascot" on 31 October 1911.[16] Under the Local Government (Areas) Act 1948, the Municipality of Mascot was amalgamated into Botany, within a reconstituted Municipality of Botany. Botany remained a municipality until 11 May 1996, when it was proclaimed the "City of Botany Bay".[17]

Establishment of Bayside Council

A 2015 review of local government boundaries by the NSW Government Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal recommended that the City of Botany Bay amalgamate with the City of Rockdale to form a new council with an area of 50 square kilometres (19 sq mi) and support a population of approximately 153,000.[18]

There was significant community opposition to the merger from within both communities. In Botany Bay, residents were given the chance to have their say in a community poll which was held on 27 February 2016.[19] Ultimately 97.8 per cent of Botany Bay residents voted 'no' when asked the question 'Do you agree that the City of Botany Bay should merge with Rockdale City Council?'.[20] Rockdale City Council indicated their preference to merge with the City of Kogarah and the City of Hurstville, forming a single "St George Council".[21][22] Botany Bay also attempted to seek a compromise by proposing to merge with the City of Randwick and parts of the City of Sydney.[23][24]

With the proclamation of the majority of council amalgamations on 12 May 2016, the City of Botany Bay Council appealed the decision in the Supreme Court of New South Wales, thereby delaying the proposed amalgamation until a decision was made by the Court. The Supreme Court rejected the appeal in early September 2016, and the Minister for Local Government, Paul Toole, moved quickly to proclaim the formation of Bayside Council on 9 September 2016, with the former administrator of Central Darling Shire, Greg Wright, appointed as the Administrator.[5][25][26][27] On 9 September 2017, the first council consisting of fifteen councillors across 5 wards was elected, and the former mayor of Rockdale, Bill Saravinovski, was elected as the first mayor on 27 September.[28][29]

The early period of the council was punctuated by revelations of the extent of issues inherited from the former Botany Bay Council, including an antiquated vehicle fleet costing millions of dollars to replace, and the legacy of ICAC investigations that uncovered the significant misappropriation of funds and fraud by former Botany Bay Council employees, which had led to 12 individuals being recommended for prosecution.[30][31] The first mayor of Bayside Council, Bill Saravinovski, in particular noted that, "The legacy of the misappropriations and costs of remediation result[ed] in a net fund deficit of $17 million, placing Bayside Council at a significant disadvantage".[32][33][34]

Demographics

At the 2016 census, there were 156,058 people in the Bayside local government area; of these 49.5 per cent were male and 50.5 per cent were female. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 1.0 per cent of the population; significantly below the NSW and Australian averages of 2.9 and 2.8 per cent respectively. The median age of people in Bayside Council was 35 years; slightly lower than the national median of 38 years. Children aged 0 – 14 years made up 21.4 per cent of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up 13.5 per cent of the population. Of people in the area aged 15 years and over, 61.6 per cent were married and 7.1 per cent were either divorced or separated.[4][1]

At the 2016 census, the proportion of residents in the Bayside local government area who stated their ancestry as Australian or Anglo-Saxon approached 29 per cent of all residents. In excess of 51 per cent of all residents in Bayside Council nominated a religious affiliation with Christianity at the 2016 census, which was below the national average of 57.7 per cent. Meanwhile, as at the census date, compared to the national average, households in the Bayside local government area had a lower than average proportion (20.7 per cent) where two or more languages are spoken (national average was 22.2 per cent); and a lower proportion (41.1 per cent) where English only was spoken at home (national average was 72.7 per cent).[4][1]

Selected historical census data for Bayside Council local government area
Census year 2016[4][1]
Population Estimated residents on census night 156,058
LGA rank in terms of size within New South Wales 17th
% of New South Wales population 2.09%
% of Australian population 0.67%
Estimated ATSI population on census night 1,555
% of ATSI population to residents 1.00%
Cultural and language diversity
Ancestry,
top responses		 English 14.95%
Australian 14.80%
Chinese 13.81%
Greek 8.98%
Lebanese 5.10%
Language,
top responses
(other than English)		 Greek 7.06%
Mandarin 6.71%
Arabic 5.85%
Cantonese 3.80%
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation,
top responses		 Catholic 23.55%
No religion, as described 20.49%
Eastern Orthodox 12.54%
Not stated 9.44%
Islam 8.72%
Median weekly incomes
Personal income Median weekly personal income A$693
% of Australian median income 104.68%
Family income Median weekly family income A$1,833
% of Australian median income 105.71%
Household income Median weekly household income A$1,601
% of Australian median income 111.34%

Council

Bayside Council has fifteen councillors, with three councillors elected in each of five wards by a preferential voting system. On 9 September 2017 the first council was elected.[5] The mayor is appointed biennially and deputy mayor annually by the councillors at the first meeting of the council.[25]

Mayor Term Notes
Greg Wright (Administrator) 9 September 2016 – 27 September 2017 GM Camden 2004–12, Broken Hill 2013,
Administrator Central Darling 2013–16.[25][35][36][37]
Bill Saravinovski (ALP) 27 September 2017 – 25 September 2019 Mayor of Rockdale 2015–2016[29]
Joe Awada (ALP) 25 September 2019 – 29 September 2021 [38]
Bill Saravinovski (ALP) 29 September 2021 – 4 December 2021 [39]
Christina Curry (ALP) 5 January 2022 – 20 September 2023 [40]
Bill Saravinovski (ALP) 20 September 2023 – present [41][42]
Deputy Mayor Term Notes
Joe Awada (ALP) 27 September 2017 – 25 September 2019 Rockdale Fourth Ward Councillor 2004–2016[29]
James Macdonald (IND) 25 September 2019 – 29 September 2021 [38][43]
Michael Nagi (IND) 29 September 2021 – 4 December 2021 [39]
Scott Morrissey (ALP) 5 January 2022 – 20 September 2023 [39]
Joe Awada (ALP) 20 September 2023 – present [41]
General Manager Term Notes
Meredith Wallace 9 September 2016 – present General Manager of Rockdale 2011–2016[25][44]

Current composition

The most recent election was held on 4 December 2021, and the makeup of the council, by order of election, is as follows:

Party Councillors
  Australian Labor Party 7
  Independents 7
  The Greens 1
Total 15
Ward Councillor Party Notes
Ward 1[45]   Christina Curry Labor Elected 2017; Botany Bay Ward Three Councillor 2012–2016; Mayor 2022—2023.
  Scott Morrissey Labor Elected 2017; Deputy Mayor 2022—2023.
  Jennifer Muscat Independent
Ward 2[46]   Jo Jansyn Labor
  Ann Fardell Labor
  Michael Nagi Independent Elected 2017 (Liberal); Rockdale Deputy Mayor 2015–2016; Deputy Mayor 2021–2022.[39]
Ward 3[47]   Bill Saravinovski Labor Elected 2017; Mayor 2017–2019, 2021–2022, 2023–present.[29][39]
  Greta Werner The Greens
  Andrew Tsounis Independent Elected 2017; Rockdale First Ward Councillor 2012–2016.
Ward 4[48]   Liza Barlow Independent Elected 2017; Rockdale Deputy Mayor 2012–2015.
  Joe Awada Labor Elected 2017; Mayor 2019–2021; Deputy Mayor 2017–2019, 2023–present.[29][38][41]
  Mark Hanna Independent
Ward 5[49]   Paul Sedrak Independent Ward 1 Councillor (Liberal) 2017–2021; Rockdale Fourth Ward Councillor 2012–2016.
  Edward McDougall Labor
  Heidi Douglas Peaceful Bayside

2021 election results

The Liberal Party did not endorse any candidates, including its five councillors elected in 2017.[50]

2021 New South Wales local elections: Bayside[50]
Party Votes % Swing Seats Change
  Labor 37,157 45.7 −0.3 7 Steady
  Independent 22,563 27.8 +7.8 4 Increase 1
  Independent Liberal 7,564 9.3 −17.9[a] 2 Decrease 5[a]
  Peaceful Bayside 3,015 3.7 1 Increase 1
  Greens 10,969 13.5 +6.8 1 Increase 1
 Formal votes 81,268

Ward names

Owing to a perceived confusion over the ward names, particularly from members of the public not able to distinguish between their ward and their suburb, at its meeting on 14 November 2018, Bayside Council voted to exhibit changes to the ward names: "Port Botany Ward" to Ward 1, "Mascot Ward" to Ward 2, "Rockdale Ward" to Ward 3, "Bexley Ward" to Ward 4, and "Botany Bay Ward" to Ward 5.[52] At the subsequent meeting on 13 February 2019, Bayside Council voted to adopt these changes, despite the public consultation resulting in 69% of 83 submissions not supporting the change of ward names to numbers.[53]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Rockdale (C)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 5 July 2017. Edit this at Wikidata
  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. ^ "Merger Proposal:City of Botany Bay Council & Rockdale City Council" (PDF). NSW Government. January 2016. p. 13. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  4. ^ a b c d Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Botany Bay (C)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 5 July 2017. Edit this at Wikidata
  5. ^ a b c "Bayside Council". Stronger Councils. Government of New South Wales. 9 September 2016. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  6. ^ "Government Gazette Proclamations and Legislation". New South Wales Government Gazette. No. 8. New South Wales, Australia. 13 January 1871. p. 99. Retrieved 17 March 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "ROCKDALE TOWN HALL". The Australian Star. No. 323. New South Wales, Australia. 13 December 1888. p. 2. Retrieved 17 March 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ "No. XXXIII. An Act to alter the name of the Municipal District of West Botany. [Assented to, 17th May, 1888.]". New South Wales Government Gazette. No. 323. New South Wales, Australia. 21 May 1888. p. 3505. Retrieved 17 March 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ "BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION". The Sydney Morning Herald. NSW: National Library of Australia. 16 January 1940. p. 7. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  10. ^ "3804 Municipality of Bexley". State Records Archives Investigator. State Archives and Records Authority of New South Wales. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  11. ^ Horne, Paul. A Century of Progress Rockdale 1871–1971. Lane Cove: Rockdale Municipal Council.
  12. ^ Geeves, Phillip; Jervis, J (1986). Rockdale: its beginning and development (Revised ed.).
  13. ^ "Government Gazette Proclamations and Legislation". New South Wales Government Gazette. No. 216. New South Wales, Australia. 4 April 1888. p. 2404. Retrieved 14 October 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. ^ "MUNICIPALITY OF BOTANY". New South Wales Government Gazette. No. 539. New South Wales, Australia. 21 August 1888. p. 5893. Retrieved 14 October 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  15. ^ "Government Gazette Proclamations and Legislation". New South Wales Government Gazette. No. 216. New South Wales, Australia. 4 April 1888. p. 2404. Retrieved 3 November 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  16. ^ "Changing boundaries, changing names: the history behind Bayside Council". History At Bayside. Bayside Council. 14 October 2016. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
  17. ^ "History". City of Botany Bay. Archived from the original on 22 June 2000. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  18. ^ "Merger proposal: City of Botany Bay Council, Rockdale City Council" (PDF). Government of New South Wales. January 2016. p. 7. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  19. ^ Trembath, Murray (29 February 2016). "Botany Bay says 'I don't' to Rockdale". St George & Sutherland Shire Leader. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  20. ^ "Council Community Poll 2016". Archived from the original on 12 July 2018. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  21. ^ Galinovic, Maria (3 February 2016). "Kogarah and Hurstville Council amalgamation talks continue". St George and Sutherland Shire Leader. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  22. ^ Bliss, Raylene (8 March 2016). "BOTANY BAY, ROCKDALE, KOGARAH AND HURSTVILLE CALL FOR MINISTER TO QUASH AIRPORT COUNCIL MERGER PROPOSAL". Southern Courier. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  23. ^ "Randwick mayor wanted merger 20 years ago". Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  24. ^ Needham, Kirsty (11 January 2016). "Council merger blueprint claims Rabbitohs heartland as Sydney Roosters gain". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  25. ^ a b c d "Local Government (Bayside) Proclamation 2016 [NSW]". Parliament of New South Wales. 9 September 2016. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
  26. ^ Franks, Rebecca (9 September 2016). "Botany Bay Council and Rockdale are merged together, Local Government Minister announces". Southern Courier. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  27. ^ Franks, Rebecca (13 September 2016). "A "fresh start" for Botany Bay as Bayside Council takes centre stage". Southern Courier. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
  28. ^ Franks, Rebecca (15 September 2017). "Bayside Council election results finalised following pre-poll and preferences count". Southern Courier. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  29. ^ a b c d e Beichert, Kahlia (27 September 2017). "Bill Saravinovski is Bayside Council mayor". St George and Sutherland Shire Leader. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
  30. ^ Saulwick, Jacob (30 January 2017). "Botany council merger exposes a vehicle fleet held together with gaffer tape". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  31. ^ Robertson, James (26 July 2017). "$5 million in bogus invoices: ICAC finds former Botany Bay CFO, 11 others, acted corruptly". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  32. ^ Gainsford, Jim (15 March 2018). "Bayside cannot correct "past failings" of former Botany Bay Council, report says". The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
  33. ^ Gainsford, Jim (27 February 2018). "Bayside Council takes delivery of $3million in new work vehicles to replace "worst and oldest council fleet"". The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
  34. ^ Visentin, Lisa (12 March 2018). "Bayside Council still reeling from corruption in former council". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  35. ^ Beichert, Kahlia (22 September 2016). "Bayside Administrator Greg Wright hits the ground running". St George and Sutherland Shire Leader. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
  36. ^ "Central Darling Shire administrator reassures council staff". ABC News. 30 December 2013. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
  37. ^ Boisvert, Eugene (3 April 2013). "New city manager sacked from previous job". ABC News. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
  38. ^ a b c "Joe Awada named new mayor of Bayside Council". St George and Sutherland Shire Leader. 26 September 2019. Retrieved 9 December 2019.
  39. ^ a b c d e "Bill Returns as Bayside Mayor" (Media Release). Bayside Council. 30 September 2021. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  40. ^ "Christina Curry elected as Bayside Council mayor". St George and Sutherland Shire Leader. 6 January 2022. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
  41. ^ a b c "Councillor Bill Saravinovski elected as Bayside Mayor". Bayside Council. 21 September 2023. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  42. ^ Trembath, Murray (21 September 2023). "Bill Saravinovski elected Bayside mayor with Joe Awada as deputy". The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  43. ^ "James Macdonald re-elected Deputy Mayor" (Media Release). Bayside Council. 10 September 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  44. ^ Beichert, Kahlia (22 June 2017). "Bayside Council general manager on her road from library assistant to leader". St George and Sutherland Shire Leader. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
  45. ^ "Bayside - Ward 1". NSW Local Council Elections 2021. NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  46. ^ "Bayside - Ward 2". NSW Local Council Elections 2021. NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  47. ^ "Bayside - Ward 3". NSW Local Council Elections 2021. NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  48. ^ "Bayside - Ward 4". NSW Local Council Elections 2021. NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  49. ^ "Bayside - Ward 5". NSW Local Council Elections 2021. NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  50. ^ a b c "Bayside". ABC News.
  51. ^ "Bayside council election, 2021". The Tally Room.
  52. ^ "Renaming our wards". Have Your Say Bayside Council. Bayside Council. Retrieved 9 December 2019.
  53. ^ "8.17 Renaming of Bayside Wards - Post Public Exhibition" (PDF). Minutes of Council Meeting. Bayside Council. 13 February 2019. Retrieved 9 December 2019.
  54. ^ Beichert, Kahlia (10 August 2017). "Bayside Council unveils new logo". The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
  55. ^ "Council announces new logo winner" (Media Release). Bayside Council. 10 August 2017. Retrieved 14 March 2019.

Notes

  1. ^ a b Compared with the Liberal Party result at the 2017 election.[50][51]

External links


Suburbs and localities within the Bayside Council, Sydney
Regions of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Local government areas of New South Wales
NSW local government areas created, expanded and abolished in the 2016 local government proclamations
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