IT’S a big call to accuse a State Government department of undue influence in deciding council boundaries.
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According to Goulburn Mulwaree GM Warwick Bennett, the Department of Premier and Cabinet did exactly that by phoning Queanbeyan Council and asking them to draw up their preferred boundary.
That it allegedly happened after November 18 2015, when councils had already lodged their proposals, is crucial.
No other council in this area was apparently given the same opportunity.
If true, Queanbeyan Council had a direct bearing on the shape of proposed new councils in this area. Not surprisingly, neither Goulburn Mulwaree nor Palerang is happy with the wash up.
We do not believe Mr Bennett would make this claim lightly. Palerang general manger Peter Bascomb supports this version but importantly, his Queanbeyan counterpart, Peter Tegart denies it.
Where lies the truth?
If Queanbeyan supplied the map, innocently or not, it flew in the face of a November 11 council resolution to ‘stand alone.’ Three councillors voted against that move but the majority view prevailed.
Any background work running counter to this decision would be highly improper and normally, invoke investigation.
There’s no doubt Queanbeyan is currently sitting pretty in the reform process, while Palerang and Goulburn Mulwaree are on the back foot.
The latter two are drumming up support from Monaro MP John Barilaro and Member for Goulburn Pru Goward. Both appear to be on board.
If political influence was at play before, Mr Barilaro’s public utterances certainly suggest otherwise.
Mayor Geoff Kettle said he voiced his disapproval of Palerang’s carve-up at an Araluen community meeting and virtually guaranteed it would not be the final boundary.
Yet Mr Barilaro would have seen this very proposal when it went to the December 20 Cabinet meeting. We did not hear his opposition then, only in more recent time when people have made their feelings well known.
Behind the scenes, it’s obvious some politicians have lobbied for a particular result. As we’ve said before, that was not unexpected.
But political or departmental influence makes a mockery of an initially ordered reform approach. It quickly became scatter gun with a few bombs thrown in.
The State Government spent millions on backing studies and advertising, spruiking council reforms, but it has turned to farce with little transparency involved.
Councils should not be at the mercy of improper influence. It behoves the State Government now to do the right thing while it still has a chance.