THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN — NO FORCED AMALGAMATIONS
21st December, 2007
The State Labor Government must think again about its plans to forcibly amalgamate local Councils following the overwhelming rejection of its proposals by the people of Queensland.
Federal Shadow Minister for Local Government and Member for Wide Bay, Warren Truss, said the results of the Australian Electoral Commission conducted plebiscites announced this week demonstrate powerfully that local people want to keep their local Councils.
The most important feature of Local Government is its “localism”. Queenslanders have firmly declared that even though their local Councils may have their faults, they want the right to determine their own futures locally. They have utterly rejected Labor’s mega Councils.
Mr Truss said except for a few Aboriginal Island Councils where less than 50 people bothered to return their ballot papers, only the Burnett Shire in the whole of Queensland voted in favour of amalgamation (5203 votes to 5107).
In the 85 plebiscites conducted, more than 20 produced above a 90% “no” votes (headed by Ilfracombe where there was only 1 vote in favour of amalgamation). 9 Councils had less than 10 people voting “yes”.
“In the Wide Bay area, Cooloola, Noosa, Tiaro, Kilkivan, Murgon, Biggenden, and Wondai all produced resounding “no” votes and I have no doubt that if plebiscites had been held in Maryborough, Hervey Bay and Woocoo there would also have been a strong rejection of forced amalgamations,” Mr Truss said.
Premier Anna Bligh must realise that the people have spoken. They do not want a new mega Fraser Coast Shire. They do not want a new mega Gympie Shire. They do not want a mega Sunshine Coast Shire. They do not want a mega South Burnett Shire.
If Labor has any respect for democracy and the people’s will, the Government will abandon its forced amalgamation plans.
Mr Truss said if Labor is determined to ignore the clear expressions of public will in the plebiscites, it must immediately undertake to meet the full cost of the forced amalgamations being imposed on the community.
“It is now clear that every ratepayer in every area affected by amalgamation is certain to pay substantially higher rates to meet the costs of their new mega Councils which are expected to run into many millions of dollars for every Council. Latest estimates suggest that new computer systems alone will cost more than $1 million a Council and new headquarters buildings to house mega Council bureaucracies will total a $1 billion or more.
As the State Government will not allow any staff to be made redundant in the mergers, the promised savings from amalgamations will simply not eventuate.
Mr Truss said he will continue to oppose the concept of mega local authorities. These large new local government creations will quickly become remote and out of touch with the people. Efficiency will fall and local services will deteriorate. There will be no one left to speak up on behalf of small towns and communities and even large centres will see services withdrawn and centralised in the Council’s capital city.
Mr Truss said it is not too late for the Queensland Government to abandon its forced Council amalgamations. The people have spoken and now it is time for the Government to listen.
