Ballina Shire

Ballina Shire is a local government area in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia. The Shire was formed on 1 January 1977 by the amalgamation of the Municipality of Ballina and Tintenbar Shire.[2] The Shire is located adjacent to the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Highway. The Council seat is located in the town of Ballina. The population of the Ballina Shire area was 44,208[1] in June 2018.

This article is about the local government area. For the regional town, see Ballina, New South Wales.

Ballina Shire
New South Wales
Location in New South Wales
Coordinates28°50′S 153°32′E
Population44,208 (2018)[1]
 • Density91.15/km2 (236.08/sq mi)
Established1 January 1977 (1977-01-01)[2]
Area485 km2 (187.3 sq mi)[1]
MayorDavid Wright
Council seatBallina[3]
RegionNorthern Rivers
State electorate(s)Ballina
Federal Division(s)Page
Richmond
WebsiteBallina Shire
LGAs around Ballina Shire:
Lismore Byron Tasman Sea
Lismore Ballina Shire Tasman Sea
Richmond Valley Richmond Valley Tasman Sea

The Mayor of Ballina Shire Council is David Wright, an independent politician.

Towns and localities

Heritage listings

The Ballina Shire has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

Demographics

At the 2011 census, there were 39,274 people in the Ballina local government area; of these 48.0 per cent were male and 52.0 per cent were female. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 3.1 per cent of the population, which was higher than the national and state averages of 2.5 per cent. The median age of people in the Ballina Shire area was 45 years, which was significantly higher than the national median of 37 years. Children aged 0–14 years made up 17.9 per cent of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up 21.5 per cent of the population. Of people in the area aged 15 years and over, 49.8 per cent were married and 14.1 per cent were either divorced or separated.[5]

Population growth in the Ballina Shira area between the 2001 census and the 2006 census was 3.89 per cent; and in the subsequent five years to the 2011 census, population growth was 2.11 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 Ballina local government area was significantly lower than the national average.[6][7] The median weekly income for residents within the Ballina Shire area was significantly lower than the national average.[5]

At the 2011 census, the proportion of residents in the Ballina local government area who stated their ancestry as Australian or Anglo-Saxon exceeded 85 per cent of all residents (national average was 65.2 per cent). In excess of 60% of all residents in the Ballina nominated a religious affiliation with Christianity at the 2011 census, which was significantly higher than the national average of 50.2 per cent. Meanwhile, as at the census date, compared to the national average, households in the Ballina local government area had a significantly lower than average proportion (4.7 per cent) where two or more languages are spoken (national average was 20.4 per cent); and a significantly higher proportion (93.1 per cent) where English only was spoken at home (national average was 76.8 per cent).[5]

Selected historical census data for the Ballina Shire local government area
Census year2001[6]2006[7]2011[5]2016[8]
PopulationEstimated residents on census night37,017 38,461 39,274 41,790
LGA rank in terms of size within New South Wales50th 50th
% of New South Wales population0.56%
% of Australian population0.20% 0.19% 0.18%
Cultural and language diversity
Ancestry,
top responses		English32.0%
Australian31.2%
Irish10.5%
Scottish8.1%
German3.1%
Language,
top responses
(other than English)		Italian0.3% 0.4% 0.4%
German0.3% 0.3% 0.3%
Dutch0.2% 0.2% 0.2%
Spanishn/cn/c 0.2%
Japanesen/cn/c 0.2%
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation,
top responses		Catholic25.1% 25.5% 25.1%
Anglican28.4% 26.1% 24.2%
No Religion13.4% 17.4% 21.4%
Uniting Church7.4% 6.3% 5.6%
Presbyterian and Reformed6.4% 5.6% 5.2%
Median weekly incomes
Personal incomeMedian weekly personal incomeA$397A$496
% of Australian median income85.2% 86.0%
Family incomeMedian weekly family incomeA$1,017A$1,153
% of Australian median income86.8% 77.9%
Household incomeMedian weekly household incomeA$779A$930
% of Australian median income75.9% 75.4%

Council

Current composition and election method

Ballina Shire Council is composed of ten Councillors, including the Mayor, for a fixed four-year term of office. The Mayor is directly elected while the nine other Councillors are elected proportionally as three separate wards, each electing three Councillors. The most recent election was held on 10 September 2016, and the makeup of the Council, including the Mayor, is as follows:[9][10][11][12]

PartyCouncillors
  Independents 10
Total 10

The current Council, elected in 2016, in order of election by ward, is:

WardCouncillorPartyNotes
Mayor   David Wright Independent [9]
Ward A   Phil Meehan Independent [10]
  Stephen McCarthy Independent
  Nathan Willis Independent
Ward B   Jeff Johnson Independent [11]
  Sharon Cadwallader Independent
  Keith Williams Independent
Ward C   Ben Smith Independent [12]
  Eoin Johnston Independent
  Sharon Parry Independent

References
  1. "3218.0 – Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2017-18: Population Estimates by Local Government Area (ASGS 2018), 2017 to 2018". Australian Bureau of Statistics. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 27 March 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2019. Estimated resident population, 30 June 2018.
  2. "Local Government Act 1919. Proclamation (138)". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. 22 October 1976. p. 4526. Retrieved 15 January 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. "Ballina Shire Council". New South Wales Division of Local Government. Retrieved 22 November 2006.
  4. "High Conservation Value Old Growth forest". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Office of Environment and Heritage. H01487. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  5. Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Ballina (A)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  6. Australian Bureau of Statistics (9 March 2006). "Ballina (A)". 2001 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  7. Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Ballina (A)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  8. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Ballina (A)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
  9. "Ballina Shire Council - Mayoral Election". Local Government Election 2016. New South Wales Electoral Commission. 17 September 2016. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  10. "Ballina Shire Council - A Ward: Summary of First Preference and Group Votes for each Candidate". Local Government Election 2012. New South Wales Electoral Commission. 14 September 2012. Retrieved 6 October 2012.
  11. "Ballina Shire Council - B Ward: Summary of First Preference and Group Votes for each Candidate". Local Government Election 2016. New South Wales Electoral Commission. 17 September 2016. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  12. "Ballina Shire Council - C Ward: Summary of First Preference and Group Votes for each Candidate". Local Government Election 20126. New South Wales Electoral Commission. 17 September 2016. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
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