As the federal vote tally winds up, New South Wales has recorded the highest swing against the Turnbull Government – with harsh swings in areas that fiercely opposed the State’s local government amalgamations.
The Coalition registered a 5.1 percent swing against it across the state. Malcolm Turnbull saw a slight negative swing in his seat of Wentworth, at -2.09 percent.
According to the Save Our Councils Coalition (SOCC), the swing mirrors the opposition to the recent council amalgamations enforced by the Liberal New Wales Government.
“Communities throughout NSW have been saying for many months, to whoever will listen, that they are furious with Mike Baird’s undemocratic agenda; and now this fury has manifest itself at the first possible opportunity, at the Federal Election ballot box,” said SOCC President, Carolyn Corrigan.
“The community backlash revealed by last Saturday’s election results in NSW has nothing to do with supposedly “self-interested” local councillors whipping up opposition, as Mr Baird has repeatedly claimed.
“Instead it has everything to do with an out-of-touch, arrogant Premier who will stop at nothing to push through the destruction of local democracy in the interests of big developers and big bureaucratic government.”
Ms Corrigan said council amalgamations could not be deemed the sole reason for the swing, but cited the figures evidencing swings against the Coalition Government.
First preference negative swings in some areas where forced council amalgamations have been most vigorously opposed include Mackellar at 11%, Warringah at 9%, North Sydney at 9% and Calare at 8%.
Second preference swings include Gundagai at 23.6%, Molong at 17.08% and Oberon at 23.17%.
“Forced council amalgamations is not the whole story, but it is certainly a significant and ongoing chapter, with communities refusing to back down and give up the fight to keep their local councils. This is grassroots, community politics at its very best,” said Ms Corrigan.
