AMALGAMATION: 02 DECEMBER 2016

Barilaro … a breath of fresh air or just a puff of smoke? State Cabinet split over forced council merger policy

NSW Labor has called on Deputy Premier John Barilaro to intervene in all local councils threatened by Premier Baird’s forced mergers as he has promised to do for Cabonne Shire.

The Deputy Premier met with the members of the anti-amalgamation group in Cabonne and “confirmed that no merger would proceed unless it had first been through him” (visit http://molong.com.au/government/state/
2016/11_16/barilaro_meeting/
barilaro_meeting.html to view ANTY media release).

Mr Barilaro advised the group that “he was happy to look at alternate options if there are options out there – one might be to exclude Cabonne from the merger.”

Marj Bollinger from the group reported that, “From Mr Barilaro’s comment that before a forced merger was taken to the governor it would have to come to him first, we concluded that he’s the one to stop it going ahead.”

This is despite Premier Mike Baird saying that he “will continue to pursue the state’s council amalgamation agenda following the Nationals’ disastrous showing in the Orange by-election on Saturday.”

“The people of Cabonne Shire have fought this forced merger all the way. The Leader of the Nationals has now given his word and should not let them down again this time,” said the Shadow Minister for Local Government, Peter Primrose

“Is John Barilaro a breath of fresh air or just another puff of smoke from the cigars of the Sydney Liberals?

“The last time Mr Barilaro promised to oppose forced council mergers was in his campaign speech to Bombala RSL Club on 18 March 2015. Then he was elected to parliament and has voted for forced mergers ever since.”

Meanwhile, the  Shadow Minister for Western NSW, Mick Veitch MLC said: “This split in the NSW Cabinet is a real test for the National Party in NSW. Are they really prepared to stand up to the Liberals and stop the forced mergers?

“Deputy Premier Barilaro has made it clear that there will be no more forced mergers without the approval of the National Party.”

Based on media release issued by the NSW Labor Party.