The Country Mayors Association of NSW have welcomed the news that the Cootamundra-Gundagai merger is set to be dissolved.
“On behalf of the Board and Members of Country Mayors Association of NSW, I extend our warm congratulations to Mayor McAlister, his Councillors and Staff on the news of their de-merger proposal being approved by Minister Hoenig”, association chairman, Mayor Rick Firman OAM said.
“They have been on this journey for many years now, and have never waivered in terms of what their communities wanted – and that was for Cootamundra and Gundagai to revert back to be stand-alone Councils.
“CMA have always indicated that mergers should only occur if that is what the Councils and the communities involved so desire. Forced mergers – which all sides of politics have done, in the main, simply don’t work.
“Quite frankly, we have been inspired by Mayor McAlister’s leadership on this issue. We also applaud the NSW Member for Cootamundra, Ms Steph Cooke MP, who has backed them in all the way.
“Our NSW Local Government Minister, Mr Hoenig impresses us in terms of his view of mergers – which aligns with what CMA believe.
“CMA understands the Minister works very well with the Shadow Minister for Local Government, Mrs Tuckerman and Ms Cooke, which impresses us greatly.
“The CMA Board and Members are confident that both Cootamundra and Gundagai communities will work hard to ensure the de-merger is a success.”
NB: Mayor Firman is also a Commissioner on the NSW Local Government Boundaries Commission, Chairman of the Riverina Eastern Regional Organisation (REROC) Board and the Mayor of the neigbouring Temora Shire.
