Newcastle Lord Mayor Steps Down Amid Health Challenges
In a significant development for local governance, Newcastle's independent Lord Mayor, Ross Kerridge, has formally announced his resignation from the city council. The decision, confirmed on Monday, stems directly from adverse side effects linked to his ongoing cancer treatment regimen.
Health Journey and Council Leadership
Cr Kerridge, aged 69, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in early October of last year. After taking leave in mid-October, he returned to his mayoral duties on January 19. At that time, he indicated that while his treatment journey was not yet complete, his condition was "as good as can be hoped for." During his absence, Greens Deputy Lord Mayor Charlotte McCabe assumed the acting mayoral responsibilities.
Electoral Procedures for the Vacant Office
The resignation creates a casual vacancy in the office of a popularly elected mayor. According to the NSW Electoral Commission, such a vacancy is typically filled through a by-election. However, a critical exception applies if the vacancy occurs within 18 months of the next scheduled ordinary election.
The next local government election is set for September 9, 2028. This establishes an 18-month threshold, ending in March 2026. Since Cr Kerridge's resignation falls within this period, the standard by-election process is bypassed. Instead, the NSW Governor will appoint a councillor to the lord mayor position, based on a nomination put forward by the Newcastle City Council itself.
Political Context and Recent Council History
Cr Kerridge's political rise was notable. Elected in September 2024, he secured an upset victory over the Labor incumbent, Nuatali Nelmes, marking the beginning of his first term. Following her defeat, Cr Nelmes was elected as a ward three councillor but resigned in February 2025. Her position was subsequently filled by Labor's Peta Winney-Baartz through a countback election.
The council has precedent for using the countback method to fill casual vacancies for councillor roles within the first 18 months of a term. This process was also employed in June 2025 following the death of Greens ward three councillor Sinead Francis-Coan, with Greens candidate Siobhan Isherwood taking the seat. It is important to note that a countback election is only permissible if the vacating councillor was originally elected under the proportional representation system, which requires at least two candidates to have been elected initially.
The resignation marks a pivotal moment for Newcastle's political landscape, shifting focus to the council's next steps in appointing leadership and ensuring continuity in local governance during this transitional period.
