{"id":5654,"date":"2012-06-29T15:49:02","date_gmt":"2012-06-29T05:49:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=5654"},"modified":"2013-03-25T21:52:48","modified_gmt":"2013-03-25T11:52:48","slug":"august-deadline-to-seek-de-amalgamation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2012\/06\/29\/august-deadline-to-seek-de-amalgamation\/","title":{"rendered":"August Deadline To Seek De-Amalgamation"},"content":{"rendered":"

June 29, 2012<\/strong><\/p>\n

Queensland councils have until August 29 to apply to de-amalgamate following the appointment today of former Mackay Mayor Colin Meng<\/strong> as Boundaries Commissioner.<\/p>\n

Mr Meng will examine proposals from former councils who show strong community interest in returning to their 2008 boundaries.<\/p>\n

Local Government Minister David Crisafulli<\/strong> said the de-amalgamation process would not be easy but communities deserved the right to put forward a case.<\/p>\n

“We would prefer councils try to make amalgamation work because, despite the pain and suffering Labor put many communities through, the social and financial costs to de-amalgamate could be even worse,” Mr Crisafulli said.<\/p>\n

“While many councils have moved on after the brutal amalgamations, in a handful of cases, the wounds are still raw.<\/p>\n

“We believe in giving local communities the chance to put forward a case to return to their former shires but with a full understanding there will be costs involved.”<\/p>\n

Any council wishing to de-amalgamate would need to:<\/strong><\/p>\n