Prominent anti-merger advocate and former Gundagai mayor Abb McAlister has slammed premier Gladys Berejiklian and state MP Katrina Hodgkinson for “abandoning” regional communities.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
It follows the government’s decision to abandon court proceedings with multiple merged councils in Sydney’s metropolitan areas.
The decision has sparked outrage in regional communities and McAlister held nothing back in a scathing tirade against the NSW government.
”What happened (on Thursday) is an absolute disgrace,” McAlister said.
“Berejiklian has just shown her true colours and how little she cares about people in the bush.
“It’s very, very ordinary from the state government.”
McAlister then applied the blowtorch to state MP Katrina Hodgkinson, challenging the Member for Cootamundra to stand up for the constituents whom elected her.
“If this ridiculous decision doesn’t make Ms Hodgkinson cross the floor and support us, it shows that she doesn’t give a damn about us,” he said.
“She’s always put her hand up for Gundagai but if she doesn’t cross to support us against forced mergers, it would betray the very people who voted for her.”
In response, Ms Hodgkinson said much had been done to provide a voice for anti-merger sentiment but the amalgamated CGRC’s future was beyond doubt.
“I’ve really done a lot to assist anti-merger advocates secure meetings with government and put their cases forwards but the fact remains that the region is under merged administration,” she said.
“The premier has made it extra clear to me that the merger has happened and it will not be unscrambled.
“There is now $27 million in capital works going towards the CGRC and that sum would be impossible without the merger.”
2.45pm: Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council administrator Stephen Sykes has fired back at suggestions of de-amalgamation, stating the NSW government has already committed to deliver merged councils in regional communities.
In a statement released earlier this afternoon, Mr Sykes claimed the CGRC’s future was secure as a united entity.
“The Government had already resolved not to proceed with regional mergers earlier this year,” Mr Sykes said.
“My task is to deliver the best possible organisation to the new Council after the local government election.”
When questioned, the administrator would not elaborate on whether the state government’s decision could prompt a resurgence of community-led de-merger sentiment.
AS IT HAPPENED
2pm
Prominent anti-merger advocate and former Gundagai mayor Abb McAlister has slammed the Berejiklian government for dismissing regional communities completely following this morning’s announcement to abandon court proceedings with multiple merged councils in Sydney’s metropolitan areas.
”What happened today is an absolute disgrace,” McAlister said.
“Berejiklian has just shown her true colours and how little she cares about people in the bush.
“It’s very, very ordinary from the state government.”
McAlister then applied the blowtorch to state MP Katrina Hodgkinson, challenging the Member for Cootamundra to stand up for the constituents whom elected her.
“If this ridiculous decision doesn’t make Ms Hodgkinson cross the floor and support us, it shows that she doesn’t give a damn about us,” he said.
“She’s always put her hand up for Gundagai but if she doesn’t cross to support us against forced mergers, it would betray the very people who voted for her.”
McAlister’s frustration was further compounded by the knowledge that legal success in metropolitan areas could have been emulated in the country were it not for a lack of administrative support.
“We would still be in court fighting for our independence if we had the former administrator (Christine Ferguson)’s support, but she left and the whole situation leaves a bad taste in our mouths.”
The former mayor remains a candidate for the upcoming CGRC elections in September.
1.30pm
The state government has walked away from a court battle against Sydney councils challenging their mergers.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced the backflip on Thursday in a statement, which could rekindle efforts from anti-merger proponents in the Cootamundra-Gundagai Local Government Area.
Ms Berejiklian said that due to the protracted nature of current legal challenges and the uncertainty this is causing ratepayers, those council amalgamations currently before the courts will not proceed.
"The government's merger policy has always been about putting ratepayers first and it has become increasingly clear that certain councils were happy to continue lengthy and costly legal proceedings," Ms Berejiklian said.
"We want to see councils focusing on delivering the best possible services and local infrastructure to their residents.
"That is why we are drawing a line under this issue today and ending the uncertainty.
"We are proud of what we have already achieved for local communities in the 20 merged councils, where significant savings and improvements to services and infrastructure have been delivered."
The following proposed mergers will no longer proceed:
- Burwood, City of Canada Bay and Strathfield Municipal councils.
- Hornsby Shore and Ku-ring-gai councils.
- Hunter's Hill, Lane Cove and City of Ryde councils.
- Mosman Municipal, North Sydney and Willoughby City councils.
- Randwick City, Waverly and Woollahra Municipal councils.
