Camden Council (New South Wales)

This article is about the local government area. For the outer Sydney suburb, see Camden, New South Wales.
Camden Council
New South Wales

Coordinates 34°03′S 150°42′E / 34.050°S 150.700°E / -34.050; 150.700Coordinates: 34°03′S 150°42′E / 34.050°S 150.700°E / -34.050; 150.700
Population 56,720 (2011 census)[1]
 • Density 282.2/km2 (731/sq mi)
Area 201 km2 (77.6 sq mi)
Mayor Lara Symkowiak (Liberal)
Council seat Camden
Region Metropolitan Sydney
State electorate(s) Camden
Federal Division(s) Macarthur
Website Camden Council
LGAs around Camden Council:
Wollondilly Liverpool Liverpool
Wollondilly Camden Council Campbelltown
Wollondilly Wollondilly Campbelltown

Camden Council is a local government area in the Macarthur region, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The area is located south west of the Sydney central business district and comprises 201 square kilometres (78 sq mi).

The Mayor of Camden is Cr. Lara Symkowiak, a member of the Liberal Party.

Suburbs in the local government area

Suburbs serviced by Camden Council are:

Demographics

At the 2011 Census, there were 56,720 people in the Camden local government area, of these 49.2% were male and 50.8% were female. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 2.0% of the population. The median age of people in the Camden Council area was 34 years, which is slightly lower than the national median of 37 years. Children aged 0 – 14 years made up 24.3% of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up 9.7% of the population. Of people in the area aged 15 years and over, 55.7% were married and 10.3% were either divorced or separated.[1]

Population growth in the Camden Council area between the 2001 Census and the 2006 Census was 13.35%; and in the subsequent five years to the 2011 Census, population growth was 14.25%. When compared with total population growth of Australia for the same periods, being 5.78% and 8.32% respectively, population growth in Camden local government area was nearly double the national average.[2] The median weekly income for residents within the Camden Council area was generally slightly higher than the national average.[1][3]

At the 2011 Census, the proportion of residents in the Camden local government area who stated their ancestry as Australian or Anglo-Saxon approached 70% of all residents. In excess of 56.0% of residents in the Camden Council area nominated a religious affiliation with Christianity at the 2011 Census, compared with the national average of 50.2%; and the proportion of residents with no religion was about half the national average. Meanwhile, as at the Census date, compared to the national average, households in the Camden local government area had a low proportion (14.1%) where two or more languages are spoken (national average was 20.4%); and a very high proportion (86.3%) where English only was spoken at home (national average was 76.8%).[1]

Selected historical census data for Camden local government area
Census year 2001[2]2006[3]2011[1]
Population Estimated residents on Census night 43,799 49,645 56,720
LGA rank in terms of size within New South Wales
% of New South Wales population 0.82%
% of Australian population 0.23% Increase 0.25% Increase 0.26%
Cultural and language diversity
Ancestry,
top responses
Australian 25.4%
English 25.9%
Irish 7.5%
Scottish 6.1%
Italian 4.6%
Language,
top responses
(other than English)
Italian1.7% Decrease 1.6% Decrease 1.5%
Spanish0.7% Increase 0.8% Increase 0.9%
Arabic0.6% Increase 0.7% Increase 0.8%
Cantonese0.7% Steady 0.7% Decrease 0.6%
Maltese0.5% Decrease n/c Increase 0.4%
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation,
top responses
Catholic33.5% Increase 34.7% Increase 35.4%
Anglican30.9% Decrease 29.1% Decrease 28.3%
No Religion9.6% Increase 11.3% Increase 12.9%
Uniting Church4.8% Decrease 4.0% Decrease 3.5%
Presbyterian and Reformed3.0% Decrease 2.6% Decrease 2.4%
Median weekly incomes
Personal income Median weekly personal income A$566 A$690
% of Australian median income 121.5% 119.6%
Family income Median weekly family income A$1,353 A$1,865
% of Australian median income 131.7% 125.9%
Household income Median weekly household income A$1,465 A$1,727
% of Australian median income 125.1% 140.0%

Council

Current composition and election method

Camden Council is composed of nine Councillors elected proportionally as three separate wards, each electing three Councillors. 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 8 September 2012, and the makeup of the Council is as follows:[4][5][6]

PartyCouncillors
  Liberal Party of Australia 5
  Independents 4
Total 9

The current Council, elected in 2012, in order of election by ward, is:

WardCouncillorPartyNotes
Central Ward[4]   Therese Fedeli Liberal Deputy Mayor[7]
  Greg Warren Independent
  Penny Fischer Liberal
North Ward[5]   Lara Symkowiak Liberal Mayor[8]
  David Bligh Independent
  Peter Sidgreaves Liberal
South Ward[6]   Debby Dewbery Liberal
  Eva Campbell Independent
  Greg Copeland Independent

Development

Being a significant part of the South-Western Sydney Growth Area, Camden Council represents a rapidly growing region which is expected to house a large portion of Sydney's population growth over the coming decade. To the north are residential developments including Oran Park (8000 homes)[9] and Gregory Hills (2600 homes),[10] whilst to the south are further developments of the Elderslie estate.

At a public rally in early November 2007 the development application in the Camden area South West of Sydney on behalf of a Muslim group, the Quranic Society, for an A$19 million Muslim school with the capacity for 1,200 students, was met with protest amongst some State members of parliament, the local Camden Council and neighbouring residents.

External links

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Camden (A)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
  2. 1 2 Australian Bureau of Statistics (9 March 2006). "Camden (A)". 2001 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
  3. 1 2 Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Camden (A)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
  4. 1 2 "Camden Council – Central Ward". Local Government Elections 2012. Electoral Commission of New South Wales. 16 September 2012. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
  5. 1 2 "Camden Council – North Ward". Local Government Elections 2012. Electoral Commission of New South Wales. 16 September 2012. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
  6. 1 2 "Camden Council – South Ward". Local Government Elections 2012. Electoral Commission of New South Wales. 16 September 2012. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
  7. http://www.camdenadvertiser.com.au/story/2555358/new-deputy-mayor-for-camden/
  8. Thompson, Sean (9 October 2012). "Lara Symkowiak elected new mayor of Camden Council". Macarthur Chronicle. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
  9. "Oran Park Town Official Website".
  10. "Gregory Hills Official Website".
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