Conargo Shire

Conargo Shire New South Wales
Location in New South Wales
Coordinates	35°19′S 145°09′E / 35.317°S 145.150°ECoordinates: 35°19′S 145°09′E / 35.317°S 145.150°E
Population	1,577 (2012)[1]
• Density	0.18048/km^2 (0.46743/sq mi)
Established	1907
Area	8,738 km^2 (3,373.8 sq mi)
Mayor	Norm Brennan
Council seat	Conargo
Region	Riverina
State electorate(s)	Murray
Federal Division(s)	Farrer
Website	Conargo Shire
LGAs around Conargo Shire: Hay Murrumbidgee Murrumbidgee Wakool Conargo Shire Jerilderie Murray Deniliquin Berrigan

Conargo Shire is a local government area in the Riverina region in southern New South Wales, Australia. The Shire is the smallest local government area in New South Wales, using population as the measure.

The mayor of Conargo Shire Council is Clr. Norm Brennan, an unaligned politician.

Localities

The Shire is divided into four wards, and contains six villages - Conargo, Blighty, Mayrung, Pretty Pine, Wanganella and Booroorban.

History

Conargo Shire was established in 1907. In 2001 the former Windouran shire was absorbed into Conargo Shire. This amalgamation resulted in an additional 5,090 square kilometres (1,970 sq mi) and another 387 residents.

Before mergers in recent decades it was a common in New South Wales for rural shires to have their offices in an adjacent rural municipality (rural town). The only surviving case is Conargo Shire Council's offices in Deniliquin.

Proposed amalgamation

A 2015 review of local government boundaries by the NSW Government Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal recommended that the Conargo Shire merge with the Deniliquin Council to form a new council with an area of 8,881 square kilometres (3,429 sq mi) and support a population of approximately 9,000.^[2] The outcome of an independent review is expected by mid–2016.

Council

Conargo Shire Council chambers in Deniliquin.

Current composition and election method

Conargo Shire Council is composed of eight councillors elected proportionally as four separate wards, each electing two 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 due to held on 8 September 2012. However, only eight candidates, being the below, nominated for election. There being no additional candidates, the election was uncontested.^[3] The makeup of the council is as follows:^[4][5][6][7]

Party		Councillors
	Independents and Unaligned	8
	Total	8

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

Ward	Councillor		Party	Notes
A Ward[4]		Bernard Clancy	Unaligned
		Mac Wallace	Unaligned
B Ward[5]		Norm Brennan	Unaligned
		Nick Metcalfe	Unaligned
C Ward[6]		Donald Henderson	Unaligned
		Norm McAllister	Unaligned
D Ward[7]		Sally Dye	Independent
		Peter McCrabb	Unaligned

References

1. "3218.0 - Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2012". Australian Bureau of Statistics. 30 August 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2014. Estimated resident population (ERP) at 30 June 2012.
2. "Merger proposal: Conargo Shire Council, Deniliquin Council" (PDF). Government of New South Wales. January 2016. p. 8. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
3. "No council vote in some Riverina shires". ABC News (Australia). 10 August 2012. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
4. "Conargo Shire Council - A Ward". Local Government Elections 2012. Electoral Commission of New South Wales. 8 September 2012. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
5. "Conargo Shire Council - B Ward". Local Government Elections 2012. Electoral Commission of New South Wales. 8 September 2012. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
6. "Conargo Shire Council - C Ward". Local Government Elections 2012. Electoral Commission of New South Wales. 8 September 2012. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
7. "Conargo Shire Council - D Ward". Local Government Elections 2012. Electoral Commission of New South Wales. 8 September 2012. Retrieved 29 September 2012.