Local Government NSW (LGNSW) has applauded Deputy Premier John Barilaro, who announced the National Party would not support the continuation of forced council amalgamations in regional NSW.
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In a statement, Mr Barilaro said it was time to draw a line in the sand on local government mergers, and reminded the Liberal Party that the coalition agreement was “a blank sheet of paper”.
“The policy of local government amalgamations has impacted 20 councils, 12 of which are in regional NSW causing uncertainty and anger, and others are locked in costly legal action – that all stops now,” he said.
Fixing the problem, he said, would be one of his first orders of business in NSW government discussions.
Port Macquarie-Hastings mayor Peter Besseling said Mr Barilaro’s comments were obviously welcomed, particularly in light of consistent rumours of a forced merger with Kempsey Shire or Nambucca Shire Council – regions slated as members of Bellingen Shire’s Joint Organisation.
LGNSW President Clr Keith Rhoades said the strong statement made it clear the Deputy Premier had not only heard but understood the community during his recent tour of regional electorates.
“These communities are absolutely irate about forced amalgamations, and the proof was obvious at the Orange by-election,” Cr Rhoades said.
“I commend Deputy Premier Barilaro for his strong words – but I would remind the Coalition Government as a whole that it is not just regional communities that are fighting forced amalgamations with everything they have.
“And it’s not just the inner city either.
“On behalf of the local government sector I say that now is the time to abandon forced mergers right across NSW and to restore local democracy.
“Stop the forced mergers and send those councils who were denied elections last year to the polls in September – let the people decide how they want to proceed.
“We warned all along that there would be a price to pay if the government ignored the wishes of the community.
“We warned that forced amalgamations would not – as Premier Baird promised – place downward pressure on rates, and guess what, they haven’t.
“If the Coalition government is genuinely committed to a new day and a reset, then actually listening to what the people want is a pretty good start.”
