Greens put forward bill to end forced council mergers

The party had initially flagged the likelihood of jointly sponsoring an amendment with the Labor party but disagreements over a plebiscite clause had led to its breakdown.

The party’s local government spokesperson David Shoebridge presented the amendment in Queanbeyan on Thursday.

The bill intends to end councils being merged and de-amalgate those that have already done so, which includes the Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council.

Under new premier Gladys Berejiklian, the Coalition had announced an end to the merging of councils yet to be amalgamated but those already merged were to remain.

The Greens will also introduce legislation that will require local communities to vote in a plebiscite for any future planned mergers.

Both the Labor party and the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party have flagged their intention to introduce their own bill, but both want individual councils to have the opportunity to vote on the future of their own mergers or demergers.

While opposition leader Luke Foley wants each council to have their say he has said he isn’t completely against the mergers.

Mr Shoebridge said he was open to every other party co-sponsoring their bill, but he expects each will have a similar version of their own soon.

“Our position is founded on our view that all the forced mergers to date have been illegitimate,” he said.

“They haven't been the expression of a democratic will, and they should be overturned by parliament without the cost and delay of a plebiscite.”

Mr Shoebridge said councils he has met with all want to be de-amalgated.

“We haven't seen any councils that have put their hand up and said it has been great to be forcibly merged against the will of our local residents,” he said.

“Of course, if we get a strong representation from one of those very small regional rural councils who want to be excluded from the bill, then our door is open.”