Coonamble Councillors elect Daniel Keady as Mayor

Coonamble Shire Councillors have elected Councillor Daniel Keady as Coonamble Shire Mayor to serve a two-year term to September 2026.

Councillors also elected Councillor Steven Butler as Deputy Mayor to serve a one-year term to September 2025.

The first Ordinary Meeting was held at the Coonamble Council Chambers on Wednesday with all nine Councillors attending 

At the meeting each Councillor also swore the Oath or Affirmation of Office.

At the meeting, Council also decided upon its future meeting schedule, with Meetings to be held at 9am on the second Wednesday of each month, with no meeting in January 2025 

The March 2025 meeting is scheduled to be held in Gulargambone and the August Ordinary Meeting in Quambone.

Council resolved to use countbacks to fill future vacancies, should any Councillor position become vacant within 18 months of the Local Government election. Had Council not resolved to fill vacancies by countback, a by-election at significant cost to ratepayers, would have been required 

Membership of Councillors on various committees was also decided at the meeting.

The new Councillors lost no time in getting to work and got straight into working through a comprehensive detailed agenda that reflected the extent of Council’s planning and delivery activities.

Mayor Keady said, “I am honoured to be elected as the Mayor and look forward to working hard with all Councillors to deliver effective services for the community. Our first meeting was very productive and showed clearly the wide range of activities and initiatives we need to work together to implement, as well as challenges to overcome.”

General Manager Paul Gallagher said, “I congratulate again all Councillors and look forward to working with the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and all Councllors. We have great opportunities here in Coonamble and are in a strong position to capitalise on them to benefit all our residents.”

(Front Row L-R) Councillor Pip Goldsmith, Mayor Daniel Keady and Councillor Karen Churchill.
(Back Row L-R) Councillors Adam Cohen, Paul Wheelhouse, Al Karanouh, Paul Fisher, Deputy Mayor Steve Butler, and Marg Garnsey.