The City of Lismore is a local government area in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia. The seat of the local government area is Lismore, a major regional centre of the state.

Lismore City
New South Wales
Location in New South Wales
Coordinates28°49′S 153°17′E / 28.817°S 153.283°E / -28.817; 153.283
Population44,334 (LGA 2021)[1]
Established1879 (municipality):
9 September 1946 (1946-09-09) (city)[2]
Area1,290 km2 (498.1 sq mi)[3]
MayorSteve Krieg
Council seatGoonellabah
RegionNorthern Rivers
State electorate(s)
Federal division(s)
WebsiteLismore City
LGAs around Lismore City:
Kyogle Tweed Byron
Richmond Valley Lismore City Ballina
Richmond Valley Richmond Valley Ballina

The mayor of Lismore City Council since December 2021 is Steve Krieg.[4]

Towns and localities

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Lismore suburbs

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Other areas

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Heritage listings

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The City of Lismore has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

Demographics

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At the 2021 census, there were 44,334 people in the Lismore local government area, of these 49.1 per cent were Male and 50.9 per cent were Female. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 5.9 per cent of the population, which was significantly higher than the national average of 3.2 per cent. The median age of people in the City of Lismore area was 44 years, higher than the national median of 38 years. 81.7 percent of people in the city were born in Australia, almost 15 percent higher than the nation as a whole.[6]

Population growth in the City of Lismore area between the 2001 census and the 2006 census was 1.5 per cent; and in the subsequent five years to the 2011 census, the population growth was 1.3 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 Lismore local government area was significantly lower than the national average.[7][8] The median weekly income for residents within the City of Lismore area was marginally lower than the national average.[9]

At the 2021 census, the proportion of residents in the Lismore local government area who stated their ancestry as Australian or Anglo-Celtic exceeded 80 per cent of all residents (the national average was 62.9 per cent). In excess of 40 per cent of all residents in the City of Lismore at the 2021 census nominated no religious affiliation, compared to the national average of 38.4 per cent. As at the census date, compared to the national average, households in the Lismore local government area had a significantly lower than average proportion (7.2 per cent) where two or more languages are spoken (the national average was 24.8 per cent); and a significantly higher proportion (87.4 per cent) where English only was spoken at home (the national average was 24.8 per cent).[9][6]

Selected historical census data for the City of Lismore local government area
Census year 2001[7] 2006[8] 2011[9] 2016[10] 2021[6]
Population Estimated residents on Census night 41,572   42,210   42,766   43,135   44,334
LGA rank in terms of size within New South Wales 48
% of New South Wales population 0.62%   0.57%   0.54%
% of Australian population 0.22%   0.22%   0.20%   0.18%   0.17%
Cultural and language diversity
Ancestry,
top responses
Australian 31.4%   29.4%   39.6%
English 30.0%   29.4%   41.2%
Irish 10.8%   10.8%   14.3%
Scottish 8.2%   8.3%   12.1%
Australian Aboriginal 5.6%
Language,
top responses
(other than English)
Italian 0.2%   0.9%   0.9%   0.7%   0.4%
German 0.6%   0.4%   0.5%   0.5%   0.5%
Punajbi n/c n/c 0.4%
French 0.1%   0.1%   0.2%   0.2%   0.3%
Spanish 0.1% 0.1% 0.3%
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation,
top responses
No Religion 15.2%   19.3%   24.8%   32.7%   42.1%
Catholic 25.8%   25.5%   24.5%   21.1%   18.3%
Anglican 21.9%   20.7%   18.7%   14.6%   11.5%
Uniting Church 7.8%   7.3%   6.2%   4.7%
Presbyterian and Reformed 6.4%   6.2%   5.6% 3.5%
Median weekly incomes
Personal income Median weekly personal income $378   $469   $550   $685
% of Australian median income 81.1%   81.3%   83.0%   85.0%
Family income Median weekly family income A$993   A$1,123   A$1,351   A$1,719
% of Australian median income 84.8%   75.8%   77.9%   81.0%
Household income Median weekly household income A$760   A$907   A$1,067   A$1,319
% of Australian median income 74.0%   73.5%   74.2%   75.5%

Council

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Current composition and election method

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The governing body of Lismore City Council comprises eleven councillors, including the mayor, for a fixed four-year term. The mayor is popularly elected using the optional preferential system, while the ten other councillors are elected using the proportional representation system. There are no wards. The most recent election was held in 2024, and the makeup of the council, including the mayor, is as follows:

Party Councillors
  Team 'Not Nationals' Krieg 6[a]
  Greens 2
  Australian Labor Party 2
  Independent Big Rob 1
Total 11

Executive management

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Lismore City Council is managed by a general manager and three executive officers. Senior management turnover is significant at Lismore.

General manager Gary Murphy left the organisation in late 2018 and was replaced by Shelley Oldham. Shelley Oldham's employment was terminated in February 2021. Michael Donnelly replaced Shelley Oldham as an interim general manager before being offered a contract by the outgoing council late in 2021. Following the election in December 2021, the Krieg Team secured control of council and sacked Michael Donnelly at considerable cost to ratepayers. The Krieg Team appointed their mate John Walker as interim general manager in February 2022. Following an employment process which started late in 2022, John Walker was not offered a contract. The general manager since February 2023 is Jon Gibbons.

During this period of significantly turning over general managers, there was a significant turnover of executive officers. These senior managers were previously known as executive directors. They are now known as chief officers. John Walker's attempt to be called chief executive officer was blocked and the top position is still known as general manager.

Election results

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2024

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2024 New South Wales local elections: Lismore[11][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Steve Krieg for Lismore 1. Steve Krieg
2. Jerilee Hall (elected)
3. Andrew Gordon (elected)
4. Electra Jensen (elected)
5. Andrew Bing (elected)
6. Gianpiero Battista (elected)
7. Nardia Pidcock
8. Chris King
9. Tara Cole
10. Mitchell Dowse
11. Richelle Weekes
12,240 48.7 −0.5
Greens 1. Adam Guise (elected)
2. Virginia Waters (elected)
3. Luke Robinson
4. Shae Salmon
5. Lindall Watson
6. Binnie O'Dwyer
5,435 21.6 +6.9
Labor 1. Harper Dalton-Earls (elected)
2. Jasmine Knight-Smith (elected)
3. Kevin Bell
4. Joy Knight-Smith
5. Lewis Tayloe
6. Glenys Ritchie
7. William Harrison
4,127 16.4 +4.1
Independent 1. Big Rob (elected)
2. Shaen Springall
3. Luke Tanttari
4. Christopher Knight
5. Stella Coleman
2,961 11.8 +4.3
Independent John Jenkins 379 1.5 +1.5
Total formal votes 25,142 94.0 −1.8
Informal votes 1,616 6.0 +1.8
Turnout 26,758 83.8 −2.1

2021

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Elected councillor Party
  Peter Colby Steve Krieg
  Jeri Hall Steve Krieg
  Andrew Gordon Steve Krieg
  Electra Jensen Steve Krieg
  Andrew Bing Steve Krieg
  Vanessa Grindon-Ekins Greens
  Adam Guise Greens
  Darlene Cook Labor
  Elly Bird OSF
  Big Rob Independent
2021 New South Wales local elections: Lismore[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Steve Krieg for Lismore 12,766 49.2 +49.2
Greens 3,820 14.7 +0.8
Labor 3,195 12.3 −10.3
Our Sustainable Future 2,769 10.7 +0.0
Independent 1,948 7.5
Independent Lismore 797 3.1
Animal Justice 653 2.5 +2.5
Total formal votes 25,948 95.8
Informal votes 1,140 4.2
Turnout 27,088 85.9

Sister cities

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Lismore has sister city relations with the following cities:[14]

Notes

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  1. ^ 5 excluding the Mayor Steve Krieg

References

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  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Lismore (Local Government Area)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022.  
  2. ^ "History of Lismore". 43 Oliver Avenue, Goonellabah NSW 2480, Australia: Lismore City Council. Archived from the original on 6 November 2022. Retrieved 28 May 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  3. ^ "Lismore City Council". Department of Local Government. Archived from the original on 22 June 2014. Retrieved 19 November 2006.
  4. ^ "Mayors of Lismore". Lismore City Council. 43 Oliver Avenue, Goonellabah NSW 2480. Archived from the original on 5 March 2024. Retrieved 5 March 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  5. ^ "High Conservation Value Old Growth forest". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01487. Retrieved 18 May 2018.   Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  6. ^ a b c Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Lismore". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 5 March 2024.  
  7. ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (9 March 2006). "Lismore (C)". 2001 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 22 May 2016.  
  8. ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Community Profile Series: Lismore (C) (Local Government Area)". 2006 Census of Population and Housing. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
  9. ^ a b c Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Lismore (C)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 22 May 2016.  
  10. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Lismore (C)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 16 November 2017.  
  11. ^ "City of Lismore - First Preference Group and Candidate Votes by Aggregated Vote Type". New South Wales Electoral Commission. 1 October 2024. Archived from the original on 10 October 2024. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
  12. ^ "Policy". bigrob.com.au. Archived from the original on 12 March 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  13. ^ "City of Lismore". ABC News.
  14. ^ "Sister Cities". Lismore City Council. Archived from the original on 30 August 2007.
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