The 2024 Hawkesbury Council election has delivered a significant shake-up, as voters turned away from the traditional powerhouses of the Liberal and Labor parties in favor of independents and minor parties. While some familiar faces remain, the dominance of the major parties has been decisively broken, with the Liberal Party suffering one of the largest local government swings in the region’s history.

The biggest gain was made by Independent Mary-Lyons Buckett’s “People Not Parties.” They were the only Group to secure an extra seat in the Council Chamber, with Tom Aczel a new face amongst the 12 Councillors this term.

The message from voters is unmistakably clear: dissatisfaction with the status quo has reached a boiling point. Former Mayor Sarah McMahon and her Liberal Party suffered a staggering blow, shedding more than a quarter of their 2021 vote.

McMahon’s individual support plummeted by over 36% compared to the last local government election, highlighting a profound loss of confidence among constituents. The Liberals clung to their fourth seat by a mere nine votes, a nail-biting margin that underscores their fragile position. Meanwhile, the Labor Party, under Amanda Kotlash's leadership, faced a similar fate, seeing its representation halved as it lost one of its two seats. These results not only signal a dramatic shift in voter sentiment but also weaken the once-dominant Liberal-Labor voting bloc that controlled the previous Council.

The result saw a surge in support for independent candidates and minor parties. Shane Djuric’s Shooters, Fishers, and Farmers (SFF) Party recorded a dramatic 34% increase in its vote compared to 2021, capturing 10.32% of the total formal vote. Similarly, Eddie Dogramachi’s Small Business Party has a strong swing towards it, securing 7.6% of the vote, a 47% increase from 2021. 

Independent Nathan Zamprogno, not only retained his seat but also received the largest individual vote of any candidate, almost 55% more votes than McMahon who had him expelled from the Liberal Party last year. McMahon’s individual vote collapsed, suffering a decline of more than 36% since the last election. 

The Greens, led by Danielle Wheeler, also saw a notable rise in support, with their vote increasing by almost 10%. Wheeler's party now holds 8.4% of the overall vote, compared to 7.08% in 2021, indicating that environmental issues are gaining more traction with voters.

Wheeler described the election result as a sign of a major shift in the electorate’s priorities. “The result shows that people are increasingly choosing an alternative to the old major parties. More than half the Hawkesbury have voted for minor parties and independents with clear plans to make the Hawkesbury better. Now it’s time for us to work together to see those plans come to fruition. What’s really notable is the rise in the progressive vote, especially the People Not Parties ticket gaining two spots, which hasn’t happened since the days of conservative Mayor Rex Stubbs.”

Liberal leader McMahon has seen her party's vote dive. In 2021, the Liberals commanded over a third of the total vote, but this year, their share fell from 34.4% to 24.6%. Despite an increase of 1,661 in the number of eligible electors, more than 3,615 people who voted Liberal in 2021 have switched their support to other parties or independents. This marks one of the largest local government swings in the Hawkesbury, as voters reject the status quo.

The Labor Party, which in the past has aligned with the Liberals on key votes in Council, fared no better. Labor shed 26% of its 2021 vote, reducing its presence in the Chamber and losing influence. The much-maligned Liberal-Labor voting bloc, which controlled much of the Council's agenda in the last term, has been dealt a significant blow.

Zamprogno, reflecting on the election outcome, said, "This result is good for the community because it returns control of our Council to citizens with independent voices and away from the dysfunction of the major political parties. It is clear that people have reacted badly to the acrimony and personal drama that made the last Council such a mess. Now, people expect us to focus on the basics, especially roads, but also finishing our new Local Environment Plan (LEP) and reintroducing a range of protections to accountability, our environment, and heritage that were stripped away by the last Council. I'm excited about the ability of the new chamber to make significant progress in these areas."

Lyons-Buckett, whose "People Not Parties" group secured an additional seat, expressed a similar sentiment; “Since 2012, I have actively advocated for a 12-member Council to represent the Hawkesbury area, free from the dominance of major political parties. The election results reflect that our community shares this vision, as we've seen a notable decline in votes for major parties. The message is clear: people want us to focus on delivering essential services and facilities funded by their rates, ensuring a well-maintained road network, and preserving the unique character of our region. It’s evident that residents do not wish to see a continuation of the major party bloc of Liberal and Labor Councillors that dominated the previous two Councils and failed to meet the expectations of our community. I am looking forward to a fresh new Council term.”

This election also saw a marked increase in the number of voters casting deliberate preferences. More than 13.3% of voters chose to vote "below the line," ensuring that their preferences were directed to specific candidates rather than the parties themselves. This is similar to the 13.9% who voted BTL in 2021, but one signal toward more deliberate voting was many groups also exchanging preferences, encouraging voters to number multiple squares above the line. This reduced the number of "exhausted" votes and ensured that voter preferences were influential throughout the counting process.

The message from voters couldn't be clearer - Hawkesbury residents want new voices, independent perspectives, and a focus on the issues that matter most - roads, infrastructure, and preserving the character of the region.

As the newly elected Council members prepare to take their seats, one question looms large: who will be the next Mayor? Unlike other councils, the Mayor of Hawkesbury is not directly elected by the residents but chosen by fellow Councillors. With the major party bloc fractured and independents holding significant influence, the decision on who will lead the Council is now wide open.