Ku-ring-gai Council has commenced proceedings in the New South Wales Supreme Court over the state government’s refusal to release the full KPMG report on council mergers.
The KPMG report was commissioned by the government last year as a means to support forced council mergers across NSW.
In the case of Ku-ring-gai this would mean a merger with Hornsby by mid 2016 to create a local government area of nearly 300,000 residents.
Ku-ring-gai Council had sought the release of the full KPMG report under the GIPA (Government Information & Privacy Act) freedom of information legislation. However the request was refused twice by the government.
The Council is now seeking orders in the Supreme Court to force the government to release the report in full.
Mayor Cheryl Szatow said the decision to take legal action had not been taken lightly. “However, residents have the right to have the full facts concerning the merger proposal.
“Our community have told the government through surveys, submissions and in person at the public inquiry that they are strongly against a merger with Hornsby Council.”
The matter is listed for a directions hearing in the Supreme Court on 5 April.
