Media reports over the past couple of days are confusing to say the least and it is difficult to know who is the most confused. “First report in The Sunday Telegraph headlines “Sack Them All” claiming Local Government Minister Paul Toole had put a proposal to cabinet to sack all Councils and Mayors and place administrators in charge until mid-2016,” said Amalgamation No Thank You (ANTY) spokesperson Marj Bollinger.
The Greens’ David Shoebridge stated in a media release this week “the Minister for Local Government has insulted local councils and communities across the state by describing the growing campaign against forced amalgamations as driven by ‘self-interest’.” “Paul Toole’s office rejects a report that the government is preparing to sack every Council and Mayor in NSW to implement its amalgamation agenda,” an SMH report said.
Finally, a nervous looking Minister Toole was filmed giving evidence to the IPART Upper House Inquiry on WIN News on Monday night and later retold the story of the Fit for the Future process, insisting that it will happen. “I find this all very confusing and can’t help but wonder if Mr Toole himself is a little confused as well,” said Marj Bollinger. “I guess those of us who are standing up against the amalgamations could be considered to be looking after our own interests because if we don’t, who will?”
“If we leave it up to the Local Government Minister to look after us there will be nothing left for anyone.” Marj says the chances of Mr Toole and the Baird Government being re-elected at the next election are very slim if they don’t “start to listen to the people who vote, and abide by their wishes to stand alone and control their own destiny.”