New South Wales Premier Mike Baird and Local Government Minister Paul Toole have released the highly anticipated list of New South Wales council mergers.
It has been announced 19 new councils will be created and commence operations from today. Decisions are on hold for the creation of another nine, pending legal action lodged against the State Government by councils.
Staff members of amalgamated councils have been sacked; an Administrator and interim General Manager has been appointed to each new area.
In a statement Premier Baird called the move “the most comprehensive local government reform in more than 100 years” and said it would result in less red tape and ongoing savings.
Each new council will receive up to $10 million to cover the costs of merging. Up to an additional $15 million may be available for new investment in community infrastructure through the Stronger Communities Fund.
Following the announcement, the Save Our Councils Coalition – a group of staff from various affected councils – held a press conference expressing outrage at the decision, uniting in a chant of “Baird must go”.
President of Local Government New South Wales (LGNSW) – the peak association representing councils in the state – Councillor Keith Rhoades, said he was disappointed but not surprised at the number of mergers.
“The process itself has been one long litany of mistakes and miscalculations and dubious dealings by the Government, and it’s telling that both IPART and now the Boundaries Commission have felt compelled to disassociate themselves from the political decisions being made,” said Cr Rhoades.
“If it wasn’t for a range of vehement campaigns by grassroots communities and the local government sector, the Baird Government would have bulldozed through an even more extensive and undemocratic reform process long ago.”
The move may have implications for the broader political situation, said Cr Rhoades.
“You can’t pretend it’s not inherently political when the only councils to escape amalgamation are those that happen to fall into marginal federal electorates in the middle of an election campaign.”
Elections for amalgamated councils will now be pushed back to September 2017.
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A full list of new councils to be created following mergers:
– Armidale Regional Council (Armidale, Dumaresq and Guyra)
– Canterbury-Bankstown Council (Bankstown and Canterbury)
– Central Coast Council (Gosford and Wyong)
– City of Parramatta Council (Parramatta and part of Hills, Auburn, Holroyd and Hornsby)
– Cumberland Council (Auburn and Holroyd)
– Edward River Council (Conargo and Deniliquin)
– Federation Council (Cowra and Urana)
– Georges River Council (Hurstville and Kogarah)
– Gundagai Council (Cootamundra and Gundagai)
– Snowy Monaro Regional Council (Bombala, Cooma Monaro and Snowy River)
– Hilltops Council (Boorowa, Harden and Young)
– Inner West Council (Ashfield, Leichhardt and Marrickville)
– Mid-Coast Council (Gloucester, Great Lakes and Greater Taree)
– Murray River Council (Murray and Wakool)
– Murrumbidgee Council (Jerilderie and Murrumbidgee)
– Northern Beaches Council (Manly, Pittwater and Warringah)
– Queanbeyan-Palerange Regional Council (Queanbeyan and Palerang)
– Snowy Valleys Council (Tumut and Tumbarumba)
– Western Plains Regional Council (Dubbo and Wellington)
