Richmond Valley Council

Coordinates: 28°52′S 153°03′E / 28.867°S 153.050°E / -28.867; 153.050
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This article is about the local government area. For the regional river, see Richmond River.

Richmond Valley
New South Wales
Location in New South Wales
Coordinates28°52′S 153°03′E / 28.867°S 153.050°E / -28.867; 153.050
Population
  • 23,565 (2021)[1]
  • 23,399 (2018 est.)[2]
 • Density7.7237/km2 (20.004/sq mi)
Established21 February 2000 (2000-02-21)
Area3,051 km2 (1,178.0 sq mi)[3]
MayorRobert Mustow (independent)
Council seatCasino
RegionNorthern Rivers
State electorate(s)Clarence
Federal division(s)Page
WebsiteRichmond Valley
LGAs around Richmond Valley:
Kyogle Lismore Ballina
Clarence Valley Richmond Valley Tasman Sea
Clarence Valley Clarence Valley Tasman Sea

Richmond Valley Council (RVC) is a local government area on the Northern Rivers region of north-eastern New South Wales, Australia. RVC services an area of 3,051 square kilometres (1,178 sq mi) and draws its name from the Richmond River, which flows through most of the council area. The area under management is located adjacent to the Bruxner Highway, Pacific Highway, and the North Coast railway line.

It is a rural area for the most part, with most industries involving cattle and crop growing, such as sugar cane, wheat, and pecan plantation.

The mayor of the Richmond Valley Council is Cr. Robert Mustow, an independent politician.[4]

History[edit]

Following a petition of 76 ratepayers, elections were held 22 March 1880 for the Casino Council. Tomki Shire Council merged with Woodburn in 1976 to become the Richmond River Shire Council, which amalgamated with the Municipality of Casino into the Richmond Valley Council in February 2000.[5]

Heritage listings[edit]

The Richmond Valley Council has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

Towns and localities[edit]

Demographics[edit]

At the 2016 census, there were 23,164 people in the Richmond Valley local government area, of these 49.5 per cent were male and 50.5 per cent were female. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 6.6 per cent of the population, which was significantly higher than the national and state averages of 2.5 per cent. The median age of people in the Richmond Valley area was 42 years, which was marginally higher than the national median of 37 years. Children aged 0 – 14 years made up 20.8 per cent of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up 19.6 per cent of the population. Of people in the area aged 15 years and over, 47.6 per cent were married and 13.7 per cent were either divorced or separated.[7]

Population growth in the Richmond Valley area between the 2001 census and the 2006 census was 4.9 per cent; and in the subsequent five years to the 2011 census, the population growth was 3.4 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 Richmond Valley local government area was significantly lower than the national average.[8][9] The median weekly income for residents within the Richmond Valley area was marginally lower than the national average.[7]

At the 2011 census, the proportion of residents in the Richmond Valley local government area who stated their ancestry as Australian or Anglo-Celtic exceeded 86 per cent of all residents (national average was 65.2 per cent). In excess of 16 per cent of all residents in the Richmond Valley at the 2011 census nominated no religious affiliation, compared to the national average of 22.3 per cent. Meanwhile, affiliation with Christianity exceeded 66 per cent, which was significantly higher than the national average of 50.2 per cent. As at the census date, compared to the national average, households in the Richmond Valley local government area had a significantly lower than average proportion (3.3 per cent) where two or more languages are spoken (national average was 20.4 per cent); and a significantly higher proportion (93.8 per cent) where English only was spoken at home (national average was 76.8 per cent).[7]

Selected historical census data for the Richmond Valley local government area
Census year 2001[8] 2006[9] 2011[7]
Population Estimated residents on Census night 20,326 21,313 22,037
LGA rank in terms of size within New South Wales 67
% of New South Wales population 0.32%
% of Australian population 0.11% Steady 0.11% Decrease 0.10%
Cultural and language diversity
Ancestry,
top responses		 Australian 35.6%
English 31.4%
Irish 9.6%
Scottish 6.6%
German 3.1%
Language,
top responses
(other than English)		 Italian 0.3% Steady 0.3% Steady 0.3%
Dutch n/c n/c Increase 0.1%
German 0.1% Steady 0.1% Steady 0.1%
Tagalog 0.1% Steady 0.1% Steady 0.1%
Filipino n/c Increase 0.1% Steady 0.1%
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation,
top responses		 Catholic 29.0% Decrease 28.2% Decrease 27.4%
Anglican 29.4% Decrease 27.4% Decrease 26.3%
No Religion 9.9% Increase 13.1% Increase 16.8%
Presbyterian and Reformed 7.6% Decrease 7.5% Decrease 6.6%
Uniting Church 7.5% Decrease 6.0% Decrease 5.7%
Median weekly incomes
Personal income Median weekly personal income A$342 A$407
% of Australian median income 73.4% Decrease 70.5%
Family income Median weekly family income A$826 A$956
% of Australian median income 70.5% Decrease 64.6%
Household income Median weekly household income A$651 A$789
% of Australian median income 63.4% Increase 63.9%

Council[edit]

Current composition and election method[edit]

Richmond Valley Council is composed of seven councillors, including the mayor, for a fixed four-year term of office. The mayor is directly elected while the six other councillors are elected proportionally as one entire ward. The most recent election was held on 4 December 2021, and the makeup of the council, including the mayor, is as follows:[10][11]

Party Councillors
  Robert Mustow's Group B 5
  Australian Labor Party 1
  Independents 1
Total 7

The current Council, elected in 2021, is:

Councillor Party Notes
  Robert Mustow Robert Mustow's Group B Mayor
  Steve Morrissey Robert Mustow's Group B Deputy Mayor
  Sam Cornish Robert Mustow's Group B
  Patrick Deegan Labor
  Robert Hayes Independent
  Sandra Humphrys Robert Mustow's Group B
  Debra McGillan Robert Mustow's Group B

Election results[edit]

This section is an excerpt from Results of the 2021 New South Wales local elections § Richmond Valley.[edit]
Elected councillor Party
  Steve Morrissey Independent
(Group B)
  Sam Cornish Independent
(Group B)
  Sandra Humphrys Independent
(Group B)
  Debra McGillan Independent
(Group B)
  Patrick Deegan Labor
  Robert Hayes Independent
(Group D)
2021 New South Wales local elections: Richmond Valley[12][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent (Robert Mustow's Group B) 7,346 57.6
Labor 1,769 13.9
Independent (Group D) 1,457 11.4
Independent (Group A) 1,281 10.0
Independent (Group C) 776 6.1
Independent Robyn Kapeen 127 1.0
Total formal votes 12,756 90.7
Informal votes 1,313 9.3
Turnout 14,069 85.4

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "3218.0 – Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2014–15". Australian Bureau of Statistics. 30 March 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  2. ^ "3218.0 – Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2017–18". Australian Bureau of Statistics. 27 March 2019. Retrieved 27 March 2019. Estimated resident population (ERP) at 30 June 2018.
  3. ^ "Richmond Valley Council". Department of Local Government. Retrieved 19 November 2006.
  4. ^ "NSW Electoral Commission - Local Government Elections 2016". Archived from the original on 13 October 2016. Retrieved 6 October 2012.
  5. ^ "Richmond Valley Council History". Your Council. Tweed Valley Council. 28 May 2016. Archived from the original on 4 January 2019. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  6. ^ "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.
  7. ^ a b c d Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Richmond Valley (A)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 10 April 2015. Edit this at Wikidata
  8. ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (9 March 2006). "Richmond Valley (A)". 2001 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 22 May 2016. Edit this at Wikidata
  9. ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Community Profile Series: Richmond Valley (A) (Local Government Area)". 2006 Census of Population and Housing. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
  10. ^ "Richmond Valley". ABC News.
  11. ^ "20211129-LG-Groups-of-Candidates.pdf" (PDF).
  12. ^ "Richmond Valley". ABC News.
  13. ^ "Richmond Valley Council Group B". Facebook. Richmond Valley Council Group B.
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