Proclaiming mergers across the state, the government announced “a mayor of a new council is to be elected by councillors”. This would mean the 15 future City of Greater Wollongong councillors, which the government plans to divide into five wards, would choose a mayor from among their ranks once elected.

This marks a dramatic change for Wollongong residents, who have long elected their mayor by popular vote.

Labor’s Illawarra spokesman Ryan Park said the move was further proof the amalgamation process was “a dead set rort” and would strip away the democratic rights of citizens in the merged council.

“Labor in the Illawarra will not stand for this blatant gerrymander of the Lord Mayor’s vote by this Liberal Government,” he said, calling on the government to reject the “stupid, politically grubby” plan.

But Gareth Ward stood by the government’s decision, saying it was a “consistent” policy.

“I’ve always preferred popularly elected mayors, but the government has taken a position across the state,” he said.

However, Mr Ward said he would support a call from Wollongong’s current deputy mayor John Dorahy to instigate a referendum asking residents if they wanted a democratically elected mayor, as long as Liberal candidates were elected to the council in 2017. Mr Ward called on Labor to join this push from Illawarra Liberals.

But Mr Park questioned how much a referendum would cost ratepayers, and said such a move would not be necessary if the government left Wollongong’s existing mayoral voting system alone. 

“I don’t see the point in taking away what we have always had, and then spend money on a referendum,” he said.

“I think Gareth should be telling the Premier that we expect to keep our right to vote for the leader of our city, especially now that it has now got bigger.”

Meantime, Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery warned having a mayor elected from within the council could mean a “return to the bad old days” with the position dominated by whichever political party has the numbers.

“It’s ensconcing a two party political system that’s going to continue to dominate,” he said.

“Also, when the mayor is elected by the entire community, he or she is given a mandate to represent that entire community, whereas a councillor elected in a ward and subsequently appointed Lord Mayor does not.”

Shellharbour mayor Marianne Saliba – who has herself been elected by councillors –  said the plan risked creating turbulence within a new council.

“Wollongong has a popularly elected mayor who didn’t have any problems with his councillors and I had an internally elected mayoral system and that creates disharmony, because ever year in September you have to go through a process of a mayoral election with jockeying and internal politics,” she said.

“The people of the Illawarra should have the right to elect who is going to be their number one citizen.”

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