I must have been going to different meetings at the Ex-Services leading up to the forced merger; every speaker that rose to speak was vehemently against the proposal and was applauded when they finished speaking.

Where are all these people that were against the forced merger - have they all gone to ground?

We should be marching in the streets against this and support the Gundagai council in exile and the brave Dr Mara and his liberationist colleagues.

Viva le Gundagai, set them free!

It seems Ken Trethewey was instrumental is pushing this onto our community and now that he is gone we have the opportunity to go back to our original council.

For heaven’s sake, what was wrong with that arrangement? We are going to become the size of an outback shire if this merger goes ahead.

In response to a letter from Mary Donnelly in the Herald of Friday, April 28, wherein the former shire councillor stated that “we all know that we rarely win against the government”.

This must include local government wherein Ms Donnelly had direct involvement. The ultimate win by citizens against any government is to not elect or re-elect either in whole or as individuals.

Even though the Gundagai Council rates rose by a reported 16 per cent to cover the cost of the celebrated path, there were enough Gundagai ratepayers who made an assessment of the issue and took a democratically based decision to contrive to support the then existing council.

Gundagai people cannot have equal rights in any decision directly affecting them purely through having less population, so less local councillors in the amalgamated body on a ratio of councillors to population.

Does the former councillor believe that the amalgamation means a monetary saving of some sort?

With no reduction in the work of all types needing to be regularly carried out or in the staff and equipment needed at all levels to carry out these normal existing tasks, how will there be a saving unless by a reduction in the quantity or quality of work carried out – and 45 miles is a rather large chasm to cross to enable joint action.

Premier Baird was obliged to take the “big jump” whether the “greyhounds” or “amalgamation” originated from him personally or not – he obviously felt that he could lose his seat or even government.

I believe that I can recall Premier Gladys Berejiklian stating, quickly, on television, early after her ascension, that the amalgamation issue would be reviewed.

Does she really have a choice?

We can now start to admire Young/Boorowa/Harden’s choice of shire title – so that even Murringo et al can feel that they are involved in the mix – as compared to Jugiong, Wallendbeen, Stockinbingal, and Coolac in our area.

And do I remember correctly that the newly elected councillors in September have some finality rights?

And perhaps the former councillor might care to advise her attitude should she have been a councillor in the Gundagai-Cootamundra Regional Council – and this might give her an insight into the attitudes of a number of Gundagai citizens.