Cootamundra residents had no say when they were forced to merge with the former Gundagai Shire Council.
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All processes had been followed and strong proposal to merge with Harden put forward.
It was a proposal help up by the Premier and Minister for Local Government as a standard other councils should follow, yet it was ignored.
This has been a bitter pill to swallow for the residents of Cootamundra, and possibly more so for the people of Gundagai who were determined to stand alone and did all they could to put a case forward directing decision-makers in that direction.
History aside, residents are now dealing with an appointed administrator, who by most accounts is doing a good job assisted by senior staff at council to progress the merged council, however who was not elected by the people.
The very core of democracy is that leaders should be elected by the people, however this right was taken away when the State Government deferred the Local Government elections of merged councils until September 9, 2017.
As residents of other NSW councils left to stand alone lined up at polling booths this year, Cootamundra residents had no such opportunity.
A September election leaves more than 12 months of Administrator-led limbo for residents and this must be rectified.
As pointed out by Mike Kelly MP following the Orange by-election result, people are not happy and action must be taken as a matter of priority.
The result ended in a new leader for the NSW Nationals but where does this leave the communities?
Clearly politicians heard the dissatisfaction, that is why John Barilaro is the new Deputy Premier, however nothing has changed at the ground level.
Until some power is given back to the people by allowing them to elect their own representatives, people will continue to feel powerless and as though decisions are being made with no regard to the wishes of communities.
Cootamundra’s state representative Katrina Hodgkinson (pictured) is listening and has backed calls to move the election forward.
She says 12 months is enough time for administrators to set a path in place and indeed it should be.
