# Berrigan Shire

Berrigan Shire is a local government area in the southern Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. The Shire lies on the New South Wales State border with Victoria formed by the Murray River. The Shire is adjacent to the Newell and Riverina Highways. The Shire is a mainly agricultural region, with dairying, cattle raising, woolgrowing and cropping the main activities. The vast majority of the Shire is irrigated. Tourism is another major activity, concentrated on the river towns of Tocumwal and Barooga.
The mayor of Berrigan Shire is Cr. Julia Cornwell-McKean, an unaligned politician.

## Towns and localities

Towns in the shire are:
* Berrigan, where the Council office is based
* Finley
* Tocumwal, and
* Barooga.

## Demographics

Selected historical census data for Berrigan Shire local government area :
| Census year | Census year | Census year | 2011 | 2016 |
| Population | Population | Estimated residents on census night | 8,066 | 8,462 |
| Population | Population | LGA rank in terms of size within New South Wales | | 97th |
| Population | Population | % of New South Wales population | |
| Population | Population | % of Australian population | |
| Cultural and language diversity | Cultural and language diversity | Cultural and language diversity | |
| Ancestry, top responses | Ancestry, top responses | English | |
| Ancestry, top responses | Ancestry, top responses | Australian | |
| Ancestry, top responses | Ancestry, top responses | Italian | |
| Ancestry, top responses | Ancestry, top responses | Chinese | |
| Ancestry, top responses | Ancestry, top responses | Irish | |
| Language, top responses (other than English) | Language, top responses (other than English) | Italian | |
| Language, top responses (other than English) | Language, top responses (other than English) | Mandarin | |
| Language, top responses (other than English) | Language, top responses (other than English) | Cantonese | |
| Language, top responses (other than English) | Language, top responses (other than English) | Korean | |
| Language, top responses (other than English) | Language, top responses (other than English) | Greek | |
| Religious affiliation | Religious affiliation | Religious affiliation | |
| Religious affiliation, top responses | Religious affiliation, top responses | Catholic | |
| Religious affiliation, top responses | Religious affiliation, top responses | No religion | |
| Religious affiliation, top responses | Religious affiliation, top responses | Anglican | |
| Religious affiliation, top responses | Religious affiliation, top responses | Eastern Orthodox | |
| Religious affiliation, top responses | Religious affiliation, top responses | Buddhism | |
| Median weekly incomes | Median weekly incomes | Median weekly incomes | |
| Personal income | Personal income | Median weekly personal income | A$ |
| Personal income | Personal income | % of Australian median income | |
| Family income | Family income | Median weekly family income | |
| Family income | Family income | % of Australian median income | |
| Household income | Household income | Median weekly household income | |
| Household income | Household income | % of Australian median income | |

## Proposed amalgamation

A 2015 review of local government boundaries by the NSW Government Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal recommended that the Berrigan Council merge with parts of the Jerilderie Shire to form a new council with an area of 4,022 square kilometres (1,553 sq mi) and support a population of approximately 10,000. The Jerilderie Shire Council submitted an alternate proposal to the Minister for Local Government that the entire Jerilderie Shire amalgamate with the Murrumbidgee Shire.
The NSW Government decided in May 2016 not to proceed with the proposed amalgamation.

## Council
### Current composition and election method

Berrigan 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 14 September 2024, and the makeup of the council is as follows:
| Party | Party | Councillors |
| | Independents and Unaligned | 7 |
| | Total | 7 |
The current Council, elected in 2024, is:
| Councillor | Party |
| Renee Brooker | Unaligned |
| Julia Cornwell-McKean | Unaligned |
| Matthew Hannan | Unaligned |
| Catherine Healy | Unaligned |
| Katie Ngatokoa | Independent |
| Renee Paine | Independent |
| John Stringer | Independent |
| Vacant | |

## Election results
### 2024

2024 New South Wales local elections: Berrigan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Matthew Hannan (elected) | unopposed |
| | Independent | Catherine Healy (elected) | unopposed |
| | Independent | Julia Cornwell McKean (elected) | unopposed |
| | Independent | Renee Brooker (elected) | unopposed |
| | Independent | Renee Paine (elected) | unopposed |
| | Independent | John Stringer (elected) | unopposed |
| | Independent | Katie Ngatokoa (elected) | unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | |
A by-election will be held to fill the remaining eighth seat, with only several candidates nominating for the election.

### 2021

2021 New South Wales local elections: Berrigan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Matthew Hannan (elected) | 833 | 17.6 |
| | Independent | Carly Marriott (elected) | 654 | 13.9 |
| | Independent | Sarah McNaught (elected) | 610 | 12.9 |
| | Independent | Edward (Ted) Hatty (elected) | 488 | 10.3 |
| | Independent | John Taylor (elected) | 347 | 7.4 |
| | Independent | Roger Reynoldson (elected) | 313 | 6.6 |
| | Independent | Julia Cornwell McKean (elected) | 302 | 6.4 |
| | Independent | Renee Paine (elected) | 271 | 5.7 |
| | Independent | Marcus Fry | 195 | 4.1 |
| | Independent | Mandy Bonat | 185 | 3.9 |
| | Independent | Clare Allan | 182 | 3.9 |
| | Independent | Daryll Morris | 172 | 3.6 |
| | Independent | Ross Bodey | 168 | 3.6 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 4,720 | 95.0 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 249 | 5.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,969 | 80.5 |

### 2012

2012 New South Wales local elections: Berrigan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | 1. Colin Jones (elected) 2. Denis Glanville (elected) | 937 | 22.6 | |
| | Independent | John Bruce (elected) | 828 | 20.0 | −1.6 |
| | Independent | Matt Hannan (elected) | 479 | 11.6 | +1.3 |
| | Independent | Andrea O'Neill (elected) | 421 | 10.2 | +10.2 |
| | Independent | Daryll Morris (elected) | 383 | 9.2 | +9.2 |
| | Independent | Brian Hill (elected) | 355 | 8.6 | +1.2 |
| | Independent | Bernard Curtin (elected) | 351 | 8.5 | +0.7 |
| | Independent | Gary Mexted | 252 | 6.1 | +6.1 |
| | Independent | Liz McLaurin | 135 | 3.3 | −1.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 79.4 | |