The Hay Shire is a local government area in the Riverina area of south-western New South Wales, Australia. The Shire comprises 11,326 square kilometres (4,373 sq mi) and is located adjacent to the Sturt, Mid-western and Cobb Highways. The area includes the towns of Hay, Booligal and Maude.

Hay Shire
New South Wales
Location in New South Wales
Coordinates34°30′S 144°51′E / 34.500°S 144.850°E / -34.500; 144.850
Population2,884 (2021 census)[1]
 • Density0.25464/km2 (0.65951/sq mi)
Established1 January 1965
Area11,325.89 km2 (4,373.0 sq mi)[2]
MayorCr. Carol Oataway (Unaligned)[3]
Council seatHay
RegionRiverina
State electorate(s)Murray
Federal division(s)Farrer
WebsiteHay Shire
LGAs around Hay Shire:
Balranald Carrathool Carrathool
Balranald Hay Shire Murrumbidgee
Murray River Edward River Edward River

Hay Shire was established in 1965 by the amalgamation of the Municipality of Hay with the surrounding Waradgery Shire.[4]

The mayor of Hay Shire is Cr. Carol Oataway, an unaligned politician who had previously held the position of Principal of Hay Public School.[3][5]

Demographics

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Selected historical census data for Hay Shire local government area
Census year2001[6]2006[7]2011[8]2016[9]2021[1]
PopulationEstimated residents on census night3,562  3,383  2,956  2,946  2,884
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders (%)3.5%  4.2%  5.6%  6.0%  8.3%
LGA rank in terms of size within New South Wales123rd  121st  121st
% of New South Wales population0.06%  0.05%  0.04%  0.04%  0.04%
% of Australian population0.02%  0.02%  0.01%  0.01%  0.01%
Cultural and linguistic diversity20012006201120162021
Country of birth
(top responses)
Australia90.4%  90.5%  88.2%  80.3%  80.0%
India0.7%  0.5%  1.3%
New Zealand0.8%  1.1%  0.8%  1.3%  1.1%
England1.0%  0.8%  1.0%  0.9%  0.9%
Fiji0.4%  0.6%
Scotland0.3%  0.4%  0.4%  0.4%  0.5%
Language
(top responses,
other than English)
Italian1.1%  0.8%  1.2%  0.8%  0.7%
Punjabi  0.3%  0.6%
Fijian0.2%  0.5%  0.4%
Afrikaans0.4%
Malayalam0.3%
Religious affiliation20012006201120162021
Religious affiliation
(top responses)
Catholic36.4%  36.1%  35.8%  31.9%  27.6%
No Religion7.1%  10.4%  10.9%  16.3%  24.3%
Anglican31.8%  31.1%  31.1%  24.7%  21.7%
Not statedn/cn/cn/c12.8%  12.3%
Presbyterian and Reformed9.2%  7.9%  7.9%  5.8%  4.8%
Median weekly incomes20012006201120162021
Personal incomeMedian weekly personal incomeA$404A$441A$587A$700
% of Australian median income86.7%  76.4%  88.7%  86.9%
Family incomeMedian weekly family incomeA$983A$981A$1,344A$1,622
% of Australian median income83.9%  66.2%  77.5%  76.5%
Household incomeMedian weekly household incomeA$741A$805A$1,075A$1,236
% of Australian median income72.2%  65.2%  74.8%  70.8%

Council

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Hay Shire Council office and chambers, Hay

Current composition and election method

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Hay Shire Council is composed of eight councillors elected proportionally as a single 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 20 December 2021, and the makeup of the council is as follows:[10]

PartyCouncillors
 Unaligned8
Total8

The current Council was elected in December 2021. The councillors, in order of election, are:[10]

CouncillorPartyNotes
 Martyn QuinnUnaligned
 Jenny DwyerIndependent National (Australia)
 Peter HandfordUnaligned
 Peter DwyerUnalignedResigned in August 2022
 Carol OatawayUnalignedMayor[3]
 Lionel GarnerUnalignedDeputy Mayor[3]
 Paul PorterUnaligned
 Geoff ChapmanUnaligned
 Darren ClarkeUnalignedElected 26 August 2022 (replacing Peter Dwyer, resigned)[11]

Election results

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2021

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2021 New South Wales local elections: Hay[12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
IndependentJenny Dwyer (elected)49128.1
IndependentMartyn Quinn (elected)26415.1
IndependentPeter Handford (elected)19811.3
IndependentPeter Dwyer (elected)19010.9
IndependentCarol Oataway (elected)1176.7
IndependentLionel Garner (elected)1035.9
IndependentGeoff Chapman (elected)905.2
IndependentJohn Perry643.7
IndependentDarren Clarke623.5
IndependentPaul Porter (elected)573.3
IndependentBeverley McRae482.7
IndependentDavid Townsend331.9
IndependentMegan Ruska301.7
Total formal votes1,74797.4
Informal votes472.6
Turnout1,79483.6

Literary reference

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Banjo Paterson (1864–1941) wrote a poem called Hay and Hell and Booligal about the district.[13]

References

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  1. ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Hay". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  2. ^ "Hay Regional Profile". Riverina Regional Development Board. Archived from the original on 19 July 2008. Retrieved 28 August 2008.
  3. ^ a b c d Councillors, Hay Shire Council website; accessed 24 September 2023.
  4. ^ "Waradgery Shire Council". Search. State Records NSW. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  5. ^ Ian Beissel (2019), Hay Public School: 150 Years of History 1869-2019, Hay Historical Society, page 175.
  6. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (9 March 2006). "Hay (A)". 2001 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  7. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Hay (A)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  8. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Hay (A)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  9. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Hay (A)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
  10. ^ a b "Hay Shire Council: Councillor Election". Local Government Elections 2021. Electoral Commission of New South Wales. 20 December 2021. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  11. ^ 26 August 2022 Hay Shire Council countback election, NSW Electoral Commission website; accessed 24 September 2023.
  12. ^ "Hay". ABC News.
  13. ^ "Hay and Hell and Booligal". ghostwolf.dyndns.org. Archived from the original on 14 April 2013. Retrieved 6 September 2008.