City of Newcastle

This article is about the Australian local government area. For the English city, see Newcastle upon Tyne.
City of Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales

Aerial view of Newcastle
City of Newcastle
Coordinates 32°55.7′S 151°46.9′E / 32.9283°S 151.7817°E / -32.9283; 151.7817Coordinates: 32°55.7′S 151°46.9′E / 32.9283°S 151.7817°E / -32.9283; 151.7817
Population 148,535 (2011 census)[1] (25th)
 • Density 794.3/km2 (2,057/sq mi)
Area 187 km2 (72.2 sq mi)[1]
Time zone AEST (UTC+10)
 • Summer (DST) AEDT (UTC+11)
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes (Labor)[2]
Location 162 km (101 mi) NNE of Sydney
Council seat 282 King Street, Newcastle
Region Hunter[3]
County Northumberland
State electorate(s)
Federal Division(s)
Website City of Newcastle
LGAs around City of Newcastle:
Maitland Port Stephens Port Stephens
Cessnock City of Newcastle Tasman Sea
Lake Macquarie Lake Macquarie Tasman Sea

The City of Newcastle is a local government area in the Hunter region of New South Wales, Australia. The City of Newcastle incorporates much of the area of the Newcastle metropolitan area.

The Lord Mayor of City of Newcastle Council is Councillor Nuatali Nelmes, a Labor politician.[2] Nelmes was elected at a by-election on 15 November 2014 following the resignation of Jeff McCloy, the former Lord Mayor.[10]

Proposed amalgamation

After a 2015 review of local government boundaries by the NSW Government Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal found that Newcastle City Council was not "fit for the future", it was recommended that the City of Newcastle merge with Lake Macquarie City Council.[11] However, the Minister for Local Government subsequently proposed that Newcastle City Council instead merge with Port Stephens Council to form a new council with an area of 1,045 km2 (403 sq mi) and support a population of approximately 230,000.[12] The outcome of an independent review is expected to be completed by mid–2016.

Demographics

At the 2011 census, there were 148,535 people in the City of Newcastle local government area, of these 49.2 per cent were male and 50.8 per cent were female. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 2.6 per cent of the population, which was marginally higher than the national and state averages of 2.5 per cent. The median age of people in the City of Newcastle was 37 years, equal to the national median. Children aged 0 – 14 years made up 17.0 per cent of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up 15.4 per cent of the population. Of people in the area aged 15 years and over, 41.6 per cent were married and 12.6 per cent were either divorced or separated.[1]

Population growth in the City of Newcastle between the 2001 census and the 2006 census was 3.91 per cent; and in the subsequent five years to the 2011 census, population growth was 4.78 per cent. When compared with total population growth of Australia for the same periods, being 5.78 per cent and 8.32 per cent respectively, population growth in the City of Newcastle local government area was significantly lower than the national average.[13][14] The median weekly income for residents within the City of Newcastle was marginally lower than the national average.[1]

At the 2011 census, the proportion of residents in the City of Newcastle local government area who stated their ancestry as Australian or Anglo-Saxon exceeded 76 per cent of all residents (national average was 65.2 per cent). In excess of 56% of all residents in the City of Newcastle nominated a religious affiliation with Christianity at the 2011 census, which was slightly higher than the national average of 50.2 per cent. Meanwhile, as at the census date, compared to the national average, households in the City of Newcastle local government area had a significantly lower than average proportion (10.1 per cent) where two or more languages are spoken (national average was 20.4 per cent); and a significantly higher proportion (87.3 per cent) where English only was spoken at home (national average was 76.8 per cent).[1]

Selected historical census data for the City of Newcastle local government area
Census year 2001[13]2006[14]2011[1]
Population Estimated residents on Census night 136,413 141,753 148,535
LGA rank in terms of size within New South Wales
% of New South Wales population 2.15%
% of Australian population 0.73% Decrease 0.71% Decrease 0.69%
Cultural and language diversity
Ancestry,
top responses 		Australian 30.4%
English 29.2%
Irish 8.9%
Scottish 8.0%
German 2.9%
Language,
top responses
(other than English) 		Macedonian1.1% Decrease 0.9% Decrease 0.8%
Italian0.9% Decrease 0.7% Steady 0.7%
Mandarinn/c Increase 0.4% Increase 0.6%
Greek0.7% Steady 0.7% Decrease 0.6%
Arabicn/c Steady n/c Increase 0.4%
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation,
top responses 		Catholic26.6% Decrease 26.1% Decrease 25.3%
No Religion12.7% Increase 16.3% Increase 22.6%
Anglican27.0% Decrease 25.0% Decrease 22.3%
Uniting Church8.2% Decrease 7.0% Decrease 5.9%
Presbyterian and Reformed4.1% Decrease 3.5% Decrease 3.2%
Median weekly incomes
Personal income Median weekly personal income A$409 A$563
% of Australian median income 87.8% Increase 97.6%
Family income Median weekly family income A$1,132 A$1,530
% of Australian median income 96.7% Increase 103.3%
Household income Median weekly household income A$885 A$1,165
% of Australian median income 86.2% Increase 94.4%

Council

Current composition and election method

Newcastle City Council is composed of thirteen Councillors, including the Lord Mayor, for a fixed four-year term of office. The Lord Mayor is directly elected while the twelve other Councillors are elected proportionally as four separate wards, each electing three Councillors. The most recent election was held on 8 September 2012.[10][15][16][17][18] The Lord Mayor elected at that time, Jeff McCloy, resigned in 2014, and a by-election for Lord Mayor was held on 15 November 2014. The current makeup of the Council, including the Lord Mayor, is as follows:

PartyCouncillors
  Australian Labor Party 5
  Liberal Party of Australia 4
  Independents 2
  The Greens 2
Total 13

The current Council, elected in 2012 in order of election by ward, except for the Lord Mayor who was elected in a by-election in 2014, and for Declan Clausen who was elected in a by-election in 2015, is:

WardCouncillorPartyNotes
Lord Mayor   Nuatali Nelmes Labor [2]
Ward One[15]   Lisa Tierney Liberal
  Stephanie Posniak Labor
  Michael Osborne Greens
Ward Two[16]   Brad Luke Liberal
  Tim Crakanthorp Labor
  Therese Doyle Greens
Ward Three[17]   Declan Clausen Labor
  Sharon Waterhouse Liberal
  Andrea Rufo Independent
Ward Four[18]   Jason Dunn Labor
  David Compton Liberal
  Allan Robinson Independent

Sister cities

Newcastle Council has sister city relations with the following cities:

City Prefecture/State Country Year
Ube  Yamaguchi  Japan 1980
Dubbo  New South Wales  Australia 1995
Arcadia  California  United States

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Newcastle (Local Government Area)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 10 September 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 "New mayor Labor's Nuatali Nelmes cruises to victory". Newcastle Herald. 15 November 2014. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  3. ↑ "Suburb Search - Local Council Boundaries - Hunter (HT) - Newcastle City Council". New South Wales Division of Local Government. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
  4. ↑ "Newcastle". New South Wales Electoral Commission. 24 September 2012. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
  5. ↑ "Wallsend". New South Wales Electoral Commission. 24 September 2012. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
  6. ↑ "Charlestown". New South Wales Electoral Commission. 24 September 2012. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
  7. ↑ "Port Stephens". New South Wales Electoral Commission. 24 September 2012. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
  8. ↑ "Newcastle". Australian Electoral Commission. 26 July 2012. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
  9. ↑ "Charlton". Australian Electoral Commission. 26 July 2012. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
  10. 1 2 "Mayor Tally Sheet" (PDF). Newcastle City Council Election 2012. Australian Election Company. September 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  11. ↑ "Four Hunter councils deemed 'unfit for future'". ABC News. 20 October 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  12. ↑ "Merger proposal: Newcastle City Council, Port Stephens Council" (PDF). Government of New South Wales. January 2016. p. 8. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  13. 1 2 Australian Bureau of Statistics (9 March 2006). "Newcastle (C)". 2001 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
  14. 1 2 Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Newcastle (C)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
  15. 1 2 "Final Result in Order of Standing: Ward One" (PDF). Newcastle City Council Election 2012. Australian Election Company. 21 September 2012. p. 24. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  16. 1 2 "Final Result in Order of Standing: Ward Two" (PDF). Newcastle City Council Election 2012. Australian Election Company. 21 September 2012. p. 24. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  17. 1 2 "Final Result in Order of Standing: Ward Three" (PDF). Newcastle City Council Election 2012. Australian Election Company. 20 September 2012. p. 22. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
  18. 1 2 "Final Result in Order of Standing: Ward Four" (PDF). Newcastle City Council Election 2012. Australian Election Company. 21 September 2012. p. 24. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
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