{"id":11223,"date":"2012-09-18T12:38:43","date_gmt":"2012-09-18T02:38:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=11223"},"modified":"2020-10-01T13:36:10","modified_gmt":"2020-10-01T03:36:10","slug":"de-amalgamation-push-fails","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2012\/09\/18\/de-amalgamation-push-fails\/","title":{"rendered":"De-Amalgamation Push Fails"},"content":{"rendered":"

September 18, 2012<\/strong><\/p>\n

A push by residents in the former Rosalie and Crows Nest shires to form a breakaway shire has failed.<\/p>\n

Local Government Minister David Crisafulli<\/strong> announced this morning that he would refer de-amalgamation proposals from five former shires to the Boundaries Commissioner.<\/p>\n

The submission from Crows Nest \/ Rosalie to de-amalgamate from Toowoomba Regional Council was not amongst them.<\/p>\n

The successful proposals are from Douglas, Isis, Livingstone, Mareeba and Noosa councils.<\/p>\n

\u201cOver the next two and a half months, Boundaries Commissioner Col Meng will be working with Queensland Treasury Corporation to closely scrutinise the financial and logistical aspects of each proposal,\u201d Mr Crisafulli said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis was always going to be a difficult process but if a proposal stacks up, the community will make the final decision at a referendum.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr Crisafulli said he would use the information gathered by the remaining groups to help Councils and communities heal the wounds from the forced amalgamations.<\/p>\n

\u201cFar from being a waste of time, this has been a great exercise in democracy by giving communities a chance to voice the concerns they were denied five years ago.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was always going to be more difficult years on from the initial amalgamation to build a case to operate separately, because there\u2019s already been a lot of work and money spent on unifying the former shires.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut this proves the embers of de-amalgamation still burn and I want the Councils to use this information to address some of the concerns.\u201d<\/p>\n

Each group had to meet a set of strict guidelines including a strong, evidence-based, community-backed submission based on the pre-amalgamation local government boundaries.<\/p>\n

They had to provide a detailed estimate of the potential financial costs and include a petition signed by at least 20 per cent of the voting population that showed an understanding of all the cost implications.<\/p>\n

Petitioners also needed to demonstrate an understanding that the former shire wishing to de-amalgamate would have to meet all costs involved, including their own, and those of the Council they wished to break away from.<\/p>\n

Mr Meng will provide a detailed report, including recommendations, to the Minister by November 28, 2012.<\/p>\n

NB.<\/strong> Mr Jeff Close, from the Crows Nest & District Tourist & Progress Association, had indicated previously that if the application was unsuccessful, the group could have another strategy up their sleeves. <\/strong><\/p>\n

He believed an application could be made by the Toowoomba Regional Council under the Local Government Act to divide into three areas: Northern Downs, Southern Downs and a central Toowoomba area.<\/p>\n

Mr Close was not available to comment today.<\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mr Crisafulli vowed today to work with Toowoomba Regional Council to heal the wounds from the forced amalgamations.<\/p>\n

He said submissions from Crows Nest\/Rosalie, Clifton, Millmerran and Pittsworth to de-amalgamate from Toowoomba didn\u2019t address the long-term financial viability of each shire or accept that any de-amalgamation would be along the pre-amalgamation local government boundaries.<\/p>\n

Mr Crisafulli said he would be calling on the Council to address the concerns raised in each submission.<\/p>\n

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