AMALGAMATION: 20 DECEMBER 2016

Barilaro meeting with stakeholders

Since its meeting meeting with Mr John Barilaro, the new Deputy Premier and Leader of the NSW Nationals, more than three weeks ago, Cabonne’s Amalgamation No Thank You (ANTY) group has been waiting for some news of his promised discussions with Mr Toole, the Minister for Local Government.

Last Friday (16 December), Mr Barilaro’s office provided ANTY with the following information:

— “The Deputy Premier and the Minister for Local Government, Paul Toole, have met and discussed the issues canvassed by your group.

— “Further to our visits to parts of regional NSW in the past month (including Orange) we will hold meetings with members from Oberon and Blayney Councils on Monday, and other stakeholders, to listen to their views.

— “In keeping with the pledge made on the day that Mr Barilaro took over as Leader of the NSW Nationals, the consultation process with communities on various issues will continue, including council amalgamations.”

Jock Haynes, the Chairman of ANTY, responded with: “As mentioned in our previous releases, it is a welcome change to have a leader in NSW who is prepared to actually meet with those who will be affected by the decisions taken by the government.

“We are curious, however, as to who these ‘other stakeholders’ are?

“Surely the residents of Cabonne are the primary — and nearly only — stakeholders that should be consulted about what will be an effective takeover of their LGA by Orange City.

“We refer everyone, but especially Mr Barilaro’s office, to the transcripts from the inquiries held by the delegate, Mr Richard Pearson — who, some would say, rather strangely, was subsequently appointed to a highly paid administrator’s role by the Premier’s Department — and the submissions to the delegate that highlight strongly the views of the affected stakeholders from Cabonne.”

These can be found at: https://www.strongercouncils.nsw.gov.au/pending-councils/blayney-shire-cabonne-and-orange-city-councils/

“We are also encouraged that the meeting with Mr Toole has actually taken place, however no detail has been provided as to the direction of those discussions,” said Jock.

Based on our meeting with him, we continue to have great faith in Mr Barilaro to push through the message from the Orange By-Election, that the great majority of citizens in Cabonne Council do not want to be forcibly merged with Orange City, and that he will be able to prevent this from happening.”

Based on media release issued by ANTY.