March 21, 2015

The State election is on Sat 28 March. For all of us in the electorate of Cootamundra, there is a lot on the line.

From the outset of my campaign I have had meetings with our mayors and leaders of the local governments to discuss the very futures of our councils as we know them now.

I was fully aware of the implications of the coalition’s policy of “Fit for the Future”, and the very real possibility of forced amalgamations.

As there is 11 local governments in the electorate this is a big issue and I have done my best to meet with community leaders and put Labor’s policy on the table.

It was pleasing to discover that my concerns were also those of the councils and we were on the same page.

The concerns that there was no real model that addressed; fair and equitable representation, how local governments would perform to meet community needs and services when our towns are divided by distance geographically and in some cases culturally, the adverse effect to communities with the loss of families through staff cuts, and the maintenance of services to smaller satellite towns.

The lack of evidence to prove there was any real benefit to country towns by amalgamating.

As I have told the mayors and councils, there will be no forced amalgamations under a Labor government. This reaffirms what Sophie Cotsis (shadow minister for local govt.) said last year at the Local government conference.

This is not a promise, this is a commitment.

I want to reassure voters in this election that I am opposed to any form of pressure to direct local government, other than a democratic process. It has to be the choice of the citizens and the ratepayers.