
Ministers Demerger Stalling Cause Further Unnecessary Angst
Shadow Minister for Local Government, Greg Warren, has demanded the Minister for
Local Government, Shelley Hancock, urgently make a decision regarding the
demergers of Snowy Valleys Council and Cootamundra Gundagai Regional Council.
The Local Government Boundaries Commission handed its report into the possible
demergers to the Minister more than two months ago, yet the Minister has refused to
make a decision.
With council elections about four months away, Mr Warren said both communities
deserved to have certainty.
“For more than two months, residents in Snowy Valleys and Cootamundra Gundagai
have waited with bated breath for the Minister to make a decision,” Mr Warren said.
“They have urged, encouraged and pleaded with the Minister to make a call yet those
requests have continually fallen on deaf ears.
“Residents in those communities – and throughout our entire state – expect and
deserve a lot more from a NSW Government Minister.
“There is no doubt that the Minister is delaying making a decision because she knows if
she admits the mergers of both councils didn’t work, it would also be an admission that
the government’s forced mergers policy was a dismal failure too.
“The Minister needs to stop stalling, do the right thing by residents in the Snowy Valleys
and Cootamundra Gundagai, and make a decision now.”