LORD mayor Nuatali Nelmes' tenure has come to an end, marking a changing of the guard for the first time in nearly a decade.
Ms Nelmes' reign at the helm of City of Newcastle began when she was elected as lord mayor on November 15, 2014 in a by-election, having previously served six years as a Ward Three councillor.
In a public statement late on Tuesday evening, Ms Nelmes conceded defeat to Independent candidate Ross Kerridge in what has been an incredibly tight race for the top job.
'The privilege of a lifetime'
Ms Nelmes said she was "naturally disappointed" in the outcome but was incredibly proud of the progress the council made in her time as Newcastle's second-longest serving lord mayor.
"Over the last decade, I've had the honour of leading a dedicated team that has worked tirelessly to build a more sustainable, inclusive and thriving city," she said.
"I make no apologies for being bold and ambitious for Newcastle and the Hunter region and always fighting for our fair share.
"I will always be on team Newy."
Ms Nelmes said it had been "the privilege of a lifetime" to serve the city as lord mayor.
When asked if she would stay on as a councillor, Ms Nelmes said she was "always happy to serve the community in any capacity".
Frank Purdue, Douglas McDougall and John Tate are the only people to have served longer in the lord mayoral role, with Mr Purdue and Mr McDougall serving non-consecutive terms. Both were not popularly-elected mayors.
When Ms Nelmes first joined the council in 2008, only two women served in a chamber of 13 councillors.
There are now nine women on council and Ms Nelmes said she was pleased to see the legacy of diversity would continue in the new term.
'I just had a feeling that she had what it takes'
Mr Tate was Newcastle's lord mayor when Ms Nelmes was first elected as a councillor in Ward Three.
"I remember Nuatali when she came on to council, she was an enthusiastic person, she seemed capable and after a couple years when she had been there a while, I thought, 'Maybe one day you might be lord mayor'," Mr Tate said.
"I just had a feeling that she had what it takes.
"She spoke well, she did the work, did the research and read the reports down to the detail and I found her to be a good councillor, a person that did the work and what was required as a councillor."
Mr Tate said after Ms Nelmes won the by-election and became lord mayor, he felt she brought the "steadiness and ethos" of local government back into perspective.
"She's certainly got a list of achievements she can turn to," he said.
Ms Nelmes is Newcastle's youngest lord mayor and the second woman to serve in the role after Joy Cummings in the 1970s.
She played an integral part in transitioning the council to 100 per cent renewable energy from January 2020, reducing the city's carbon footprint by 77 per cent, and delivered a 15,000-panel 5MW solar farm at Summer Hill, cutting electricity costs and providing savings for ratepayers.
'I am proud to have worked alongside her'
Labor deputy mayor Declan Clausen entered the chamber just three months after Ms Nelmes became lord mayor.
He said back then, the council was a very different place, still reeling from Jeff McCloy's short-term tenure.
Mr McCloy resigned in 2014 after a week of intense pressure from the state corruption inquiry over donations made in the lead up to the 2011 NSW elections.
"Nuatali turned that around. It wasn't easy," Cr Clausen said.
"We put in long hours and often had to fight, even within the administration itself, to deliver the changes we had promised to the city."
Cr Clausen said the initial focus was on stabilising the administration which had been "plagued by a revolving door" of general managers and CEOs and securing the financial future of the council after an expert review found it "teetering on the brink of insolvency".
"It was tough, requiring leadership and courage, and we made many difficult but principled decisions. In hindsight, there's no doubt we did the right thing," he said.
Next came the period of statewide council amalgamations, when the Liberal government proposed to merge Newcastle with Lake Macquarie and later Port Stephens under the name 'City of Hunter Coast.'
Along with the community, the council fought and resisted that plan.
Cr Clausen said he has enormous respect for the lord mayor.
He credited her with many of the city's achievements, including negotiating lowered building heights in Newcastle's East End which he said became the catalyst for urban renewal in the precinct and maximising the benefits of the light rail project the council inherited.
"She brought a sharp mind and clear vision to the role of lord mayor and consistently impressed me with her ability to think several steps ahead," he said.
"I am proud to have worked alongside her over the last decade, especially as her deputy for the last seven years.
"Nuatali leaves the office of lord mayor with Newcastle in a far better place than when she found it."
The changing face of the city
Under her leadership, the council more than doubled capital spending to reduce the city's infrastructure backlog and delivered projects like the Bathers Way coastal walk, Wallsend flood mitigation works and the rejuvenation of Hunter Street Mall.
Local centre upgrades have been funded in Carrington, Beresfield, Shortland, Kotara, Merewether, Stockton and New Lambton.
Erosion in Stockton has also been addressed with the state's first certified Coastal Management Program, and dozens of new playgrounds have been built across the city.
A once-in-100-year renewal of Newcastle Ocean Baths is being delivered and new and upgraded fenced off-leash dog parks have been opened in North Lambton, Islington and Maryland.
Born and raised in Newcastle, Cr Nelmes is married with three children and has enjoyed a representative sporting career in basketball.
Before she took on a role in public office, Cr Nelmes' professional background was in small business and recruitment where she honed her skills in leadership, strategic planning and community engagement.
Since 2014, Cr Nelmes has worked to leverage Newcastle's financial position, investing into local facilities and infrastructure projects including waste management, recreation and sports facilities, cycleways, coastal revitalisation, roads and improvements at the city's libraries, Civic Theatre and City Hall.
Cr Nelmes represents the city on a number of committees and boards, including as treasurer of Local Government NSW and chair of the City of Newcastle's Asset Advisory Committee.
She previously served on the boards of the Hunter Westpac Rescue Helicopter, Northern Settlement Services and the Hunter Writers Centre.
