We at the Post have been concerned for much of this time that our own elected officials were coalescing with State wishes.

Members of the community, too, have voiced real fears and frustrations over how the council participated in the process.

However, the scale of the State’s seeming indifference to and peculiar pairing of our local areas has shaken Bourke St awake.

It is heartening to see the council rolling out across the region a firm and formalised framework of public consultation.

We are hearing Mayor Geoff Kettle as the voice of reason, and seeing him start to captain the helm of debate.

He’s also talking up sums that show the presently proposed merger with a part of Palerang shire would leave Goulburn Mulwaree $400,000 out of pocket.

Senior reporter Louise Thrower’s article on page 4 tells how early financial modelling reveals the potential rate base would not pay for the new council’s workforce.

Cr Kettle is steaming at the shortfall and will be using the data to debate the proposed plan when he fronts a public inquiry on February 9.

Delegate John Rayner, who has been appointed by the State Government, will host the inquiry at the Goulburn Golf Club that Tuesday afternoon.

The public inquiry will allow council representatives and community members alike to have a say on the Goulburn Mulwaree/Palerang merger plan.

Speakers will be able to talk about the State’s proposal, but will not be able to put up a new proposal, only suggest a variation.

Let’s hope Mr Rayner wears Kevlar clothing to deflect the truth bullets sure to be shot across the room.

“I’ll be telling them that it’s an absolutely ridiculous proposal and that it won’t work,” Cr Kettle has promised the Post.

“They (government officials) admit the KPMG report on projected savings, at least for Goulburn Mulwaree, is flawed,” Cr Kettle said.

Bolstering his battle is support from Goulburn MP Pru Goward and Monaro MP John Barilaro, who agree in principle with Cr Kettle’s position.

There is still a lot of work to do and numbers to crunch before the State’s February 28 deadline, but the momentum is in Goulburn Mulwaree’s favour.

Your local newspaper is often taken to task for being “negative” and not speaking enough up in support of the council’s initiatives.

Well, Mayor Kettle, we have donned the pom-poms for this one. Go, you good thing! Fight the good fight!

Members of the public who would like to attend the public inquiry must register at councilboundaryreview.nsw.gov.au, or call 1300 813 020.