Greens MLC David Shoebridge is calling on Queanbeyan City Council to release all documents related to Fit for the Future reforms.
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It came as Goulburn Mulwaree mayor Geoff Kettle publicly accused Queanbeyan of dictating the boundaries in a merged entity to the state government.
Mr Shoebridge told media yesterday morning that if the council didn’t release the documents, he would lodge freedom of information requests.
He was in the city yesterday before a public inquiry into Queanbeyan council’s proposed amalgamation with part Palerang.
“I think it is essential that Queanbeyan open its books and then both the general manager and mayor publicly release any communications they have had with either [Minister for Local Government] Paul Toole, the local member John Barilaro or the Premier about proposed merger options and I think they owe it to the local residents,” Mr Shoebridge said.
“From the information that’s available it looks very much like it’s a hostile takeover by Queanbeyan, designed solely to benefit Queanbeyan.
“Part of what I’ve come down here for is to get an understanding on the ground of what information is in the public domain and what the local concerns are about those behind-closed-doors communications.”
Queanbeyan mayor Tim Overall and general manager Peter Tegart have denied any impropriety or political influence.
The Upper House member has accused the state government of treating council reform like a “political play thing".
He said there was no rationale for the amalgamation. Palerang was only formed in 2004 but more than a decade later, the state was "slicing it in half".
“There’s no doubt it’s a political decision,” Mr Shoebridge said.
“It’s not about what’s good for residents. It’s a line on a map representing a political deal done in government ranks and it’s very frustrating to see local government being treated like a political play thing”.
He believed the evidence lay in the fact that not one report, including the Independent Review Panel’s and IPART’s recommended carving up Palerang.
“It was probably whipped up in a heated Cabinet meeting,”Mr Shoebridge said.
With three “good” councils in the area he questioned why the state would want to wipe a viable entity off the map.
Mr Shoebridge lodged freedom of information requests for a KPMG report assessing proposed mergers for 35 councils, including Goulburn Mulwaree/part Palerang and Queanbeyan and part Palerang.
The requests were sent to the Minister for Local Government’s office, the NSW Department of Local Government and the Department of Premier and Cabinet.
“The Local Government Department said they’d never seen it, which is quite remarkable given that they’re the bureaucrats meant to have the knowledge and capacity to assess these proposals,” Mr Shoebridge said.
The Department of Premier and Cabinet advised the information was already available, a claim he and many other councils have rejected.
They argue only a summary of KPMG’s findings were given in merger proposals.
“The department said 25 documents, including options and analysis informed the proposals but all have been deemed Cabinet in Confidence,” the Greens MLC said.
“...It’s an appalling process. Ugly shenanigans are going on behind closed doors between politically well connected councils and government.
“It should never be the way we decide local government. It should be about communities.”