Gundagai stalwart and current CGRC Mayor Abb McAlister has continued to keep the fight going, with the finish line hopefully in sight.
Gundagai should, could and most likely will, become its own entity again and it will happen sooner rather than later.
There’s currently two proposals before the Boundaries Commission across the entire state and it’s as clear as day and as obvious as footy being played on a Sunday that the demerger will go ahead.
Both Cootamundra-Gundagai (CGRC) and Tumut-Tumbarumba (Snowy Valleys) have been failures as new entities. CGRC has not performed as bad a Hilltops with a $44 million deficit compared to Hilltops’ which is exceeding $55 million, but the string of forced mergers on the map, connected geographically, have never got anywhere near what the former state government promised would occur.
Minister for Local Government Ron Hoenig could have tabled legislation to hasten the demerger of CGRC, but after all this time, one feels Labor, after talking a big game are now making it just as hard as the coalition did when they implemented them.
The Minister in all of this is the Tik Tokking Local Government maestro Ron Hoenig. He took over from Labor MP Greg Warren who was removed from the portfolio when Labor won the last election and has since gone ‘missing in action’ on merger opinion and debate. Hoenig likes to look hip with the young crowd, embracing technology to get the message out. He is in Chris Minns’ inner circle which to some may be a worry after witnessing his visit to Cootamundra where he addressed the Council and the media at his last attempt.
The Boundaries commission which is the all important small group of people elected by Hoenig (1) and the NSW Governor (3) comprises four members. The same Governor who is currently touring the region. This gives enraged residents the following four people who are to decide on their futures. Grant Gleeson is an officer of the Office of Local Government nominated by agency’s Deputy Secretary. Peter Duncan is the Chairperson and holds the casting vote if it’s two all.
Then the interesting part of the story. Temora Mayor, Rick Firman is back for another term and is assisted my Ruth Fagan the Mayor of Cowra in her first term on the commission. Both country towns are just 150 kilometres apart and based in country NSW, right next to the affected areas of local government failures due to the forced mergers.
Both locally known bush Councillors know the bush well and have no doubt had plenty of pressure placed upon them by the floundering merged Council residents. The current Labor Government has been languishing in the quagmire that the previous coalition left them and although Firman and previous Council representatives may have wanted a demerger, they have been unable to get it over the line. There’s really no argument, their colleagues need to see the mergers for what they have turned out to be and allow these proud towns to return to self governance.
These forced merger Council have people voting on local matters, important to communities they don’t live in, don’t have a connection to, don’t operate a business there and where they more often than not don’t poll well and aren’t particularly popular.
Hilltops Councils three major towns of Harden, Young and Boorowa along with the many associated villages is a prime example. Labor’s De-amalgamation Bill passed Parliament on Thursday, 9 May 2024. They released the following statement. The NSW Labor Government has today given councils and their communities the power to make decisions about their future with the Local Government Amendment (De-amalgamations) Bill 2024 passing both Houses of Parliament.
The new legislation provides certainty to Councils that have been left in limbo due to legal flaws within the Local Government Act. Under the Government’s new laws, Councils seeking to demerge must work in close consultation with their community to ensure local democracy is enshrined throughout the entire process.
The new pathway will require Councils to develop a robust business case for de-amalgamation with community input so that residents are adequately informed of potential implications up-front. The business case should consider the impacts of de-amalgamation including financial ramifications, long-term strategic plans, and the capacity of new councils to deliver services. The Minister will then refer the business case to the Local Government Boundaries Commission for independent review and assessment. If the Minister is satisfied by the Boundaries Commission’s recommendation a proposal is sound, a compulsory referendum may then be held to give the community the final say on whether they wish to de-amalgamate. The majority of the community must support this vote for the demerger to proceed.
The new legislation will also apply to any council that has been amalgamated, removing a provision that placed a 10-year period for councils to enact demerger proceedings. It also provides for a mechanism for the Government to contribute to funding the costs of demergers incurred by councils.
Following its passage through both Houses of Parliament the Bill will soon be signed into law by the NSW Governor. At the time of the release, Hoenig stated the following: “Today the NSW Labor Government has put an end to a disappointing chapter in local government history.
“Councils and communities across the state have suffered for too long without a clear mechanism to undo the amalgamations that were forced upon them.
“This Bill rightly puts those decisions that directly affect communities back into their hands. “It provides a legal pathway to achieve de-amalgamation whilst mandating robust engagement with the community throughout the entire process.
“This is to ensure communities understand the consequences and can make an informed decision about their future.
“Whether that is to proceed down the path of de-amalgamation, or to get on with the job of providing for their community, this Bill delivers much-needed certainty.”
Councils continue to suffer from out-dated and messy legislation of which Hoenig could repair or undo with the help of his colleagues and some independents. It’s not too late for other Councils to follow suit. The forced mergers will go down as one of the darkest days in local government where politicians got sharpie pens from their desk, ignored those living in the community who actually had consulted their constituents and rewrote boundaries and the history of small communities, forever damaging their social fabric. It can be repaired, the strong ones never give up.
One man who was the architect of this mess still remains in parliament. Paul Toole, the Member for Bathurst. It must be lonely sitting there now while the rest left the sandpit and moved onto other games.
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