December 4, 2013

A member of the Queensland Local Government Reform Alliance – an alliance of various groups pushing for de-amalgamation of local councils – visited Yarraman recently to touch base with local residents.

Dan McCabe, from Toowoomba, told southburnett.com.au he wasn’t acting officially on behalf of the QLGRA but he had written back to president Bob Johnson about his impressions collected during the visit.

Mr McCabe spoke to several Yarraman businesspeople to gauge their feelings about how amalgamation was going.

He also attended Community Engagement Forums organised by the Toowoomba Regional Council at Cambooya, Greenmount, Clifton, Pittsworth, Crows Nest, Goombungee, Gowrie Junction, Kingsthorpe and Meringandan West.

“I was interested in the (community engagement) process and how it was received in these communities,” Mr McCabe said.

“I spoke with some who presented proposals to Council at the forums; I spoke with others about Council’s community engagement efforts and about amalgamation in general.

“I also raised the work of the Queensland Local Government Reform Alliance.

“Formed in July this year with the overall objective of putting the ‘local’ back into local government, QLGRA currently has representatives from 21 former Councils and Shires.”

Mr McCabe said he was impressed by the differences between the communities in the Toowoomba Regional Council area, especially driving from Crows Nest to Yarraman.

He noted that all the towns he visited had very different characters but all were feeling a loss of identity and a “Toowoomba-centric” view of Council prevailed.

“I take this opportunity to thank those who spoke openly with me in the districts mentioned and at Yarraman. Your acceptance of me and your views were appreciated,” he said.

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