Community representatives from across the state gathered in front of New South Wales Parliament on March 12 to demand NSW Labor not proceed with its bill which, essentially, would make it harder for forcibly merged councils to deamalgamate.
The protest was organised by Demerge NSW Alliance.
Greens MLC Dr Amanda Cohn and independent MLA Dr Joe McGirr addressed the crowd, as did Hilltops councillor Brian Ingram, former Inner West mayor Rochelle Porteous, Northern Beaches councillor Miranda Korzy and Canterbury-Bankstown councillor Barbara Coorey.
Support came in a message from Charlie Sheehan, mayor of Cootamundra-Gundagai, which has been battling for years to deamalgamate, had been given approval by the Coalition, but has still not been given the go-ahead. Residents groups in in Guyra and the Central Coast also sent messages of support.
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Residents had expected Labor’s bill to be debated that day, but it was deferred.
Residents are continuing to organise to protect democracy at a local level. To that end, many attended the Save Greater Sydney Coalition’s rally later in the day also at NSW Parliament, where a number of people spoke about local democracy being key to getting good local decisions on planning and development.
[Pip Hinman is a member of Demerge NSW Alliance.]
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