A passionate Harden resident is trying to drum up local support to push for the resurrection of the former Harden Shire Council.
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With the resignation of NSW Premier Mike Baird and the appointment of Gladys Berejiklian to the position, the questions that seems to be in everyone’s mind is will the NSW government continue with the forced council amalgamations and will the councils that have been amalgamated be forced to stay that way.
Barbara Sargent, whose late husband John served on the Harden Shire Council for eight years, has been distributing a petition around town in support of breaking up the merger.
“I attended a meeting in Gundagai last week and saw the passion in the people there for de-merging,” Mrs Sargent said.
“The Shadow Minister for Local Government, Peter Primrose was in attendance and won the hearts and minds of most present with his address.”
Mrs Sargent will join a NSW-wide network of protesters at the office of NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro on Friday, hoping to convince him of the need to stand in support of the de-merger movement.
“I have left petitions around Harden, which have been initiated by ‘Guyra Amalgamation No Thank You’ (Anty) and they require 10,000 signatures in order to go before parliament,” Mrs Sargent said.
“Knowing how strongly people feel about the forced amalgamations, I hope to see the petition before parliament and have the amalgamations reversed.”
Former Harden Shire mayor Chris Manchester thinks the merger is here to stay.
“I think the amalgamation in Hilltops has gone too far to reverse,” Mr Manchester said. “The financial cost of amalgamating the three councils was huge. Key staff members have left their positions – all of that would have to be undone, it would be a very involved, very costly process.”
“Amalgamation of local councils has been on the table for the last 20 years.
“We put our hands up to merge with Cootamundra, but that was not the way it worked out. The NSW government saw an opportune moment to re-mould local government and they took it.”
“At the end of the day, it all comes down to financial viability. To un-amalgamate, each council would have to prove they can stand on their own – that they are financially viable.”
