Richmond Valley Council

Richmond Valley New South Wales
Location in New South Wales
Coordinates	28°52′S 153°03′E / 28.867°S 153.050°E / -28.867; 153.050Coordinates: 28°52′S 153°03′E / 28.867°S 153.050°E / -28.867; 153.050
Population	23,181 (2015 est)[1]
• Density	7.5978/km2 (19.678/sq mi)
Established	February 2000 (2000-02)
Area	3,051 km2 (1,178.0 sq mi)[2]
Mayor	Robert Mustow (independent)
Council seat	Casino
Region	Northern Rivers
State electorate(s)	Clarence
Federal Division(s)	Page
Website	Richmond Valley
LGAs around Richmond Valley: Kyogle Lismore Ballina Clarence Valley Richmond Valley Tasman Sea Clarence Valley Clarence Valley Tasman Sea

Richmond Valley Council is a local government area in the Northern Rivers region of north-eastern New South Wales, Australia. The council 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.^[3]

History

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.^[4]

Towns and localities

Demographics

At the 2011 census, there were 22,037 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.^[5]

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.^[6][7] The median weekly income for residents within the Richmond Valley area was marginally lower than the national average.^[5]

At the 2011 census, the proportion of residents in the Richmond Valley local government area who stated their ancestry as Australian or Anglo-Saxon 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).^[5]

Selected historical census data for the Richmond Valley local government area
Census year			2001[6]	2006[7]	2011[5]
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%	0.11%	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%	0.3%	0.3%
		Dutch	n/c	n/c	0.1%
		German	0.1%	0.1%	0.1%
		Tagalog	0.1%	0.1%	0.1%
		Filipino	n/c	0.1%	0.1%
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation, top responses		Catholic	29.0%	28.2%	27.4%
		Anglican	29.4%	27.4%	26.3%
		No Religion	9.9%	13.1%	16.8%
		Presbyterian and Reformed	7.6%	7.5%	6.6%
		Uniting Church	7.5%	6.0%	5.7%
Median weekly incomes
Personal income		Median weekly personal income		A$342	A$407
		% of Australian median income		73.4%	70.5%
Family income		Median weekly family income		A$826	A$956
		% of Australian median income		70.5%	64.6%
Household income		Median weekly household income		A$651	A$789
		% of Australian median income		63.4%	63.9%

Council

Current composition and election method

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 10 September 2016, and the makeup of the Council, including the Mayor, is as follows:^[8][9]

The current Council, elected in 2012, in order of election by ward, is:^[9]

See also

• Local government areas of New South Wales

References