View source for Walgett Shire

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Use Australian English|date=October 2012}}
{{Infobox Australian place 
| type     = lga
| name     = Walgett Shire
| state    = nsw
| image    = Walgett LGA NSW.png
| caption  = Location in [[New South Wales]]
| pop = 6107
| pop_year = {{CensusAU|2016}}
| pop_footnotes = <ref name="Census2016">{{Census 2016 AUS|id=LGA17900 |name=Walgett (A) |access-date=7 July 2017 |quick=on}}</ref>
| pop2               = 6051
| pop2_year          = 2018 est.
| pop2_footnotes     =<ref name=ABS3218.0>{{cite web|url=http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/3218.02017-18|title=3218.0 – Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2017–18|publisher=Australian Bureau of Statistics|date=27 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327110730/http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/3218.02017-18|archive-date=27 March 2019|url-status=live}} Estimated resident population (ERP) at 30 June 2018.</ref>
| density  = 
| area     = 22336
| est      = {{start date|1906|03|07|df=y}}
| coordinates = {{coord|30|01|S|148|07|E|type:adm2nd_region:AU-NSW|display=inline,title}}
| seat     = [[Walgett]]
| mayor    = Jasen Ramien ([[Independent (politician)|Unaligned]])
| region   = [[Orana, New South Wales|Orana]]
| logo     = Walgett Shire Council Logo.jpg
| logo_upright   = 1.2
| url      = http://www.walgett.nsw.gov.au
| stategov = [[Electoral district of Barwon|Barwon]]
| fedgov   = [[Division of Parkes|Parkes]]
| near-nw  = [[Shire of Balonne|Balonne]] ([[Queensland|Qld]])
| near-n   = [[Shire of Balonne|Balonne]] ([[Queensland|Qld]])
| near-ne  = [[Shire of Balonne|Balonne]] ([[Queensland|Qld]])
| near-e   = [[Moree Plains Shire|Moree Plains]]
| near-w   = [[Brewarrina Shire|Brewarrina]]
| near-sw  = [[Warren Shire|Warren]]
| near-s   = [[Coonamble Shire|Coonamble]]
| near-se  = [[Narrabri Shire|Narrabri]]
}}
'''Walgett Shire''' is a [[Local government in Australia|local government area]] in the [[Orana, New South Wales|Orana]] region of [[New South Wales]], [[Australia]]. The northern boundary of the Shire is located adjacent to the border between New South Wales and [[Queensland]]. The town of [[Walgett]] is located on the [[Namoi River]], nearby to its junction with the [[Barwon River (New South Wales)|Barwon River]] and at the junction of the [[Kamilaroi Highway]] and the [[Castlereagh Highway]]. 
 
The Shire is divided between the agricultural areas (producing wool, cattle, wheat and cotton), which are near the Barwon and Namoi rivers or south-east of the Barwon River, and the [[outback]] country north-west of the Barwon River, including the [[black opal]] mining and [[fossicking]] town of [[Lightning Ridge]]. Prior to 1957, when Lightning Ridge was established as a significant settlement, the outback country was part of the [[Western Division (New South Wales)|Western Division]].

The [[mayor]] of Walgett Shire Council is Jasen Ramien who is [[Independent (politician)|unaligned]] with any political party.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.walgett.nsw.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/30-Profiles-5.pdf|title=Profiles|website=Walgett shire Council|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190324025744/https://www.walgett.nsw.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/30-Profiles-5.pdf|archive-date=24 March 2019|url-status=live|access-date=21 April 2019}}</ref>

==Towns and villages==

Walgett Shire includes [[Walgett]], [[Lightning Ridge]], [[Collarenebri]], [[Pokataroo]], [[Rowena, New South Wales|Rowena]], [[Burren Junction]], [[Cryon]], [[Cumborah]], Glengarry and [[Carinda]]. [[Come By Chance, New South Wales|Come By Chance]] was established in 1840, before all of the above towns and villages.

==Heritage listings==
Walgett Shire has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
* Collarenebri, Gundabloui Road: [[Collarenebri Aboriginal Cemetery]]<ref name=nswshr-1934>{{cite NSW SHR|5061967|Collarenebri Aboriginal Cemetery|hr=01934|fn=EF14/9970|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{expand section|date=July 2017|{{CensusAU|2016}} data}}
According to the [[Australian Bureau of Statistics]] during 2003–04 there:<ref>{{cite web |publisher=[[Australian Bureau of Statistics]] |title=Regional Wage and Salary Earner Statistics, Australia (catalogue no.: 5673.055.003) |url=http://abs.gov.au |access-date=11 March 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629070252/http://www.abs.gov.au/ |archive-date=29 June 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* were 1,726 wage and salary earners (ranked 123rd in New South Wales and 393rd in Australia, less than 0.1% of both New South Wales's 2,558,415 and Australia's 7,831,856)
* was a total income of $55 million (ranked 121st in New South Wales and 391st in Australia, less than 0.1% of both New South Wales's $107 billion and Australia's $304 billion)
* was an estimated average income per wage and salary earner of $31,980 (ranked 112th in New South Wales and 376th in Australia, 77% of New South Wales's $41,407 and 82% of Australia's $38,820)
* was an estimated median income per wage and salary earner of $29,155 (ranked 119th in New South Wales and 406th in Australia, 82% of New South Wales's $35,479 and 85% of Australia's $34,149).

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan=7|Selected historical census data for Walgett Shire local government area
|-
!colspan=3|Census year !!2011<ref name="Census2011">{{Census 2011 AUS|id=LGA17900 |name=Walgett (A) |access-date=23 October 2012 |quick=on}}</ref>  !!2016<ref name="Census2016"/>
|-
|rowspan=4 colspan="2"|Population ||Estimated residents on [[Census in Australia|census night]] ||align="right"|{{formatnum:6454}} ||align="right"|{{decrease}}&nbsp;{{formatnum:6107}}
|-
|align="right"|[[List of local government areas in New South Wales|LGA rank in terms of size within New South Wales]] ||align="right"|{{nts|106}}{{small|th}}  ||align="right"|{{decrease}}&nbsp;{{nts|107}}{{small|th}} 
|-
|align="right"|% of New South Wales population ||align="right"| 
|-
|align="right"|% of Australian population ||align="right"|
|-
!colspan=3|Cultural and language diversity !! 
|-
|rowspan=5 colspan=2|[[Ancestor|Ancestry]],<br />top responses ||[[English people|English]]||align="right"| 
|-
|[[Australians|Australian]]||align="right"| 
|-
|[[Italians|Italian]]||align="right"| 
|-
|[[Chinese people|Chinese]]||align="right"| 
|-
|[[Irish people|Irish]]||align="right"| 
|-
|rowspan=5 colspan=2|Language,<br />top responses<br />(other than [[Australian English|English]]) |||[[Italian language|Italian]]||align="right"|
|-
|[[Mandarin Chinese|Mandarin]]||align="right"|
|-
|[[Cantonese]]||align="right"|
|-
|[[Korean Language|Korean]]||align="right"|
|-
|[[Greek language|Greek]]||align="right"|
|-
!colspan=3|Religious affiliation !! 
|-
|rowspan=5 colspan=2|[[Religion in Australia|Religious]] affiliation,<br />top responses ||[[Roman Catholic Church in Australia|Catholic]]||align="right"|
|-
|[[Irreligion|No religion]]||align="right"|
|-
|[[Anglican Church of Australia|Anglican]]||align="right"|
|-
|[[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia|Eastern Orthodox]]||align="right"|
|-
|[[Buddhism in Australia|Buddhism]]||align="right"|
|-
!colspan=3|Median weekly incomes !! 
|-
|rowspan=2 colspan=2|Personal [[Household income|income]] ||[[Median]] weekly personal income||align="right"|{{AUD}}
|-
|align="right"|% of Australian median income||align="right"| 
|-
|rowspan=2 colspan=2|Family income  ||Median weekly family income||align="right"| 
|-
|align="right"|% of Australian median income||align="right"| 
|-
|rowspan=2 colspan=2|Household income ||Median weekly household income||align="right"| 
|-
|align="right"|% of Australian median income||align="right"| 
|-
|}

==Council==
[[Image:Walgett Shire Council Offices.jpg|thumb|270px|Walgett Shire Council]]
Between 2004 and 2008, the council was controlled by an [[Administrator (Australia)|Administrator]], Vic Smith,<ref>{{cite web |publisher=[[Division of Local Government (New South Wales)|Division of Local Government]] |title=Local Government Directory |date=June 2004 |url=http://www.dlg.nsw.gov.au/dlg/dlghome/dlg_LocalGovDirectory.asp?index=1&CN=T#209 |access-date=14 November 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061213055814/http://www.dlg.nsw.gov.au/dlg/dlghome/dlg_LocalGovDirectory.asp?index=1&CN=T#209 |archive-date=13 December 2006 |url-status=live }}</ref> appointed by the New South Wales Minister for Local Government. The previous Walgett Shire Council was split between factions representing Lightning Ridge and the rest of the Shire and apparently became unworkable as a result. In 2004, a public inquiry investigated the dispute, among other things, under the {{Cite Legislation AU |NSW|act||Local Government Act, 1993}}. Other matters investigated included poor administration, failure to properly inform councillors in relation to some matters, apparently illegal walkouts by some Councilors to frustrate votes and, in particular, events surrounding a failed project to build a community centre in Lightning Ridge.<ref>{{cite book |last=Bulford |first=Robert |publisher=Division of Local Government |title=Walgett Shire Council Public Enquiry |date=June 2004 |url=http://www.dlg.nsw.gov.au/dlg/dlghome/documents/Information/Walgett_Public_Inquiry_Report_31_May_2004.pdf|isbn=1-920766-10-3 |page=89 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060906182653/http://www.dlg.nsw.gov.au/dlg/dlghome/documents/Information/Walgett_Public_Inquiry_Report_31_May_2004.pdf |archive-date=6 September 2006 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Current composition and election method===
Walgett Shire Council is composed of nine [[councillor]]s elected [[Single transferable vote|proportionally]] as a single [[Ward (country subdivision)|ward]]. 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 22 December 2021, and the makeup of the council is as follows:<ref name=EC>{{cite web |url=http://vtr.elections.nsw.gov.au/walgett-shire-council/councillor |title=Walgett Shire Council: Summary of First Preference Votes for each Candidate |work=Local Government Elections 2016 |publisher=Electoral Commission of New South Wales |date=19 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161104011039/http://vtr.elections.nsw.gov.au/walgett-shire-council/councillor |archive-date=4 November 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="2"|Party!!Councillors
|-
| {{Australian party style|Independent}}|&nbsp;
| [[Independent (politician)|Unaligned]]
| align=right | 9
|-
|
| '''Total'''
| align=right | '''9'''
|}

The current Council, elected in 2021, in order of election, is:<ref name=EC/>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Councillor!!colspan="2"|Party!!Notes
|-
| Alfred Seaton
| {{Australian party style|Independent}}|&nbsp;
| Unaligned

|-
| Jasen Ramien
| {{Australian party style|Independent}}|&nbsp;
| Unaligned
| Mayor
|-
| Pauline Kearl
| {{Australian party style|Independent}}|&nbsp;
| Unaligned
| 
|-
| Jane Keir
| {{Australian party style|Independent}}|&nbsp;
| Unaligned
|
|-
| Gregory Rummery
| {{Australian party style|Independent}}|&nbsp;
| Unaligned
| Deputy Mayor
|-
| Scott Bailey
| {{Australian party style|Independent}}|&nbsp;
| Unaligned
| 
|-
| Jo Coleman
| {{Australian party style|Independent}}|&nbsp;
| Unaligned
| 
|-
| Michael Cooke
| {{Australian party style|Independent}}|&nbsp;
| Unaligned
| 
|-
| Daniel Walford
| {{Australian party style|Independent}}|&nbsp;
| Unaligned
|
|}

==Election results==
===2024===
{{excerpt|Results of the 2024 New South Wales local elections in Orana|section=Walgett results}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline}}
* [http://www.walgett.nsw.gov.au/ Walgett Shire Council official website]

{{Walgett Shire}}
{{Local Government Areas of New South Wales}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Walgett Shire| ]]
[[Category:Local government areas of New South Wales]]
[[Category:1906 establishments in Australia]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1906]]