Former NBN presenter Gavin Morris to contest Newcastle Lord Mayor by-election

13 February 2026

Gavin Morris made the announcment in Wallsend on Friday

newy.com.au – Former NBN News presenter and weather broadcaster Gavin Morris has announced he will run as an independent in Newcastle’s Lord Mayor by-election, launching his campaign in Wallsend on Friday 13 February 2026.

The by-election follows the resignation of Dr Ross Kerridge, who stepped down as Lord Mayor on Monday 9 February due to ongoing side-effects from cancer treatment. City of Newcastle said Deputy Lord Mayor Charlotte McCabe would exercise the Lord Mayor’s functions until a by-election, with the NSW Electoral Commission expected to confirm a date in the coming week and the council flagging a mid-April vote.

Kerridge attended Morris’s announcement and said he was “delighted” Morris had agreed to “put his hat into the ring for Lord Mayor”, adding that as an independent “he’ll make his own decisions”.

Morris, a Newcastle local who said he returned after time away, told the meeting it was “way too early for policies” and that “there is a long journey ahead” as he built a campaign team. He said he still needed a campaign manager, funding and volunteers, and planned to spend the next eight weeks listening to residents before settling priorities.

Describing Newcastle as a city with “history” and “heritage”, Morris said he saw “20 to 30 solid challenges” ahead and argued it was important the city had a “completely independent mayor” to make the best decisions possible. Asked how he would contest a traditionally Labor city, he pointed to “a unique set of skills” built over “the last 40 years” and said he would work with Labor, Greens, Liberal and independent councillors to “move forward and make this city great”.

When questioned about infighting in council and the relationship between the NSW Government and City of Newcastle, Morris said those were among the major issues facing the city but he wanted to concentrate on the campaign and return to the questions if elected.

He also rejected suggestions he was “just the weather guy”, saying a “clean slate” would help him approach the job without party policy and with “an open mind and open arms”. Morris said he hoped voters who previously backed Kerridge would give his candidacy serious consideration.

Gavin says he was born and raised in Newcastle and has a close connection with the community having visited almost all schools in the region, he says “what we have [here in Newcastle] is special” and spoke about his passion for our city and a passion to solve issues in local government.

Morris said he decided to say yes after spending an afternoon alone at Bar Beach thinking about who might fill the vacancy if he declined, and said he was confident he had the skills for the role. He told the meeting he was currently unemployed and could be “100%” dedicated to council if elected, describing the move into politics as “full circle” after landing his first media job at 2NX, now Hit1069, in 1985 after being introduced to the station by a politician who visited his school.

Morris also highlighted the importance of the Lord Mayor’s relationship with City of Newcastle chief executive Jeremy Bath, saying “me and Jeremy go way back” and calling him “a smart man”, adding he hoped to sit down with Bath during the campaign.

Morris said he chose to launch in Wallsend because he was “going through what everyone is going through right now”, including rates pressure, and he wanted a stronger focus on basic needs across all four wards rather than only bigger projects in the city centre.

City of Newcastle said the Deputy Lord Mayor would continue in the acting role until the by-election is held, which the council expects to fall in mid-April.