The Municipality of Ashfield is a Local Government Area of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It lies approximately 10 kilometres west of the central business district.

Demographics

According to the Australian Bureau Statistics , there:

- were 40,262 people as at 30 June 2006, the 54th largest Local Government Area in New South Wales. It was equal to 0.6% of the New South Wales population of 6,827,694



- was an increase of 152 people over the year to 30 June 2006, the 74th largest population growth in a Local Government Area in New South Wales. It was equal to 0.3% of the 58,753 increase in the population of New South Wales



- was, in percentage terms, an increase of 0.4% in the number of people over the year to 30 June 2006, the 109th fastest growth in population of a Local Government Area in New South Wales. In New South Wales the population grew by 0.9%



- was a fall in population over the 10 years to 30 June 2006 of 1,496 people or 3.6% (0.4% in annual average terms). In New South Wales the population grew by 622,966 or 10% (1.0% in annual average terms) over the same period.

Suburbs

The municipality comprises:

• Ashfield
• Dobroyd Point
• Haberfield
• Summer Hill

It also includes parts of:

• Ashbury
• Croydon
• Hurlstone Park
• Croydon Park

Council

Ashfield Municipal Council is composed of twelve councillors elected proportionally; the municipality is divided into four wards, each electing three councillors. The mayor not directly elected. The current makeup of the council is as follows:

Party		Councillors
	Australian Labor Party	4
	Independent	3
	The Greens	3
	Liberal Party of Australia	2
	Total	12

The current council, elected in 2008, is:

Ward	Councillor		Party	Notes
East Ward		Caroline Stott	Independent
		Patrick Kelso	Greens
		Alex Lofts	Labor
North East Ward		Ted Cassidy	Independent	Mayor
		Lyall Kennedy	Greens
		Lucille McKenna	Labor
North Ward		Monica Wangmann	Independent
		Mei Wang	Labor
		Nick Adams	Liberal
South Ward		Mark Drury	Labor
		Marc Rerceretnam	Greens
		Morris Mansour	Liberal	Deputy Mayor

Housing

Housing is characterised equally by a mixture of 'grand Victorian' and Federation-era freestanding homes, and post-war medium-density unit dwellings ('flats' in Australian parlance).

Controversies

In October 2006, Cr Nick Adams was "formally condemned by fellow councillors after racking up thousands of dollars worth of phone calls and Cabcharges for personal benefit."

In November 2005, the Deputy Mayor, Nick Adams, called for the eradication of pigeons from the municipality as a way of preventing the spread of so-called 'bird flu'. His motion was met with a combination of disbelief, laughter, and subsequent national notoriety. Councillor Marc Rerceretnam was widely quoted in response: "The mind boggles when I think of Ashfield pigeons flying to the border of Ashfield and stopping directly at the border, saying "oh no, that's Canterbury, I can't go into there" and flying back in again. I mean this, this is, what exactly is this motion trying to do?". The motion failed.

In 2006, former Deputy Mayor, Nick Adams, denounced multiculturalism on national television only to be condemned by the community and the Ethnic Communities Council of NSW.

References

• Australian Bureau of Statistics, POA2131 2131 (Postal Area).
• ABC Online, Transcript of 'AM' program Wednesday, 2 November , 2005 08:24:00

External links

• Ashfield Municipal Council
• 2001 Census Information
• [99624]