Keren Walker, Lorraine Brown, Barb Sargent & Clarrie Powell protest at the front of Harden Country Club on Tuesday.
The Public Inquiries into the Cootamundra-Gundagai-Harden (CGH) merger proposal took place this week at the Harden Country Club and Cootamundra Ex Services Club on Tuesday and Gundagai on Wednesday morning, with Gundagai recording the highest number of registered speakers. Speakers were given four minutes to speak, with the Delegate presiding, John Turner, stating that it was “unfair to have longer time for other meetings due to less attendance.” He described the Inquiry as one Inquiry stretched over three locations. At Harden, sixteen speakers made presentations to the estimated crowd of around 130 people, beginning with Mayor of Harden Shire Council and the Assistant General Manager, Trevor Drowley.
Mayor Horton began by thanking the community for turning out, and stated that the CGH merger was a compromise, adding that the Cootamundra-Harden merger had been previously rejected by the New South Wales Government, as had Gundagai’s push to stand alone on two occasions. He also addressed fears of Harden being taken out of the Hilltops tourism region and brand. “I have never heard of such rubbish,” he said. “Even if Harden joined with New York City, we’d still be part of the Hilltops region.”
Assistant General Manager Drowley criticised the supposed $20 million in savings over 20 years for the Cootamundra merger by pointing out that part of the savings would come from the $15 million in non-guaranteed government funding.
Peter Orr spoke on the desirability of a ward system, pointing out that 89 councils out of the 152 in New South Wales have them, and that it could be used to address any imbalance in a new Council. Meanwhile,
Ross Flanery believed that Gundagai should not be involved in the Harden-Cootamundra proposal, and that Harden and Cootamundra had an agricultural rate base of 85% and 75% respectively. Young, he said, only had 50%.
Hilton Doberer said that the Harden community has never really connected with Gundagai, and if Gundagai was not willing to amalgamate, then it should not. “I would like to know motives of government for changing the goal posts,” he said.
Chairman of the Kruger Trust, Jim Wright, said that the community was “sick and tired” of a government who won’t explain the reasons for amalgamation, and also pointed out that half of the savings west of the Great Dividing Range were from state government funds. “The community is enraged by this jack-booted approach,” he said. Meanwhile,
Rhana Wright believed that there was huge potential for Cootamundra, Gundagai and Harden if the three communities could pull together.
Councillor Tony Flanery stated his opposition to a merge including Gundagai, and criticised what he described as an “undemocratic process”. He also called for a 12-month moratorium on the amalgamations by the state government.
“Here we are again,” said Athol Cairn, who equated the tactics of the Baird government with a South American dictatorship and that such actions are perpetuated by community apathy. “I support Harden and Cootamundra, but if Gundagai is included, then let’s welcome them,” he said.
Robert Warner of Wombat pointed out the ridiculousness of the Harden-Young Shire boundary being only five kilometres out of Young, and that the NSW government should be considering boundary changes. He also added that Harden Shire should be thinking of other options.
Amy Mergard repeated her oratory performance of the previous meeting, passionately arguing that all the Harden Shire wants is to be amalgamated with Cootamundra, and that the CGH proposal was not an attack on Gundagai, but the closest outcome to a Cootamundra-Harden merger. Her mother,
Maryanne McKay spoke immediately after, stating that she has no confidence in those who are making the decisions in Macquarie Street without any idea of the distances of shire boundaries that would be created. “We don’t want to force Gundagai, just as we don’t want to be forced by Young,” she added.
Joy Coggan of Jugiong said that “our politicians are supposed to be our servants” and that “savings are political spin for cuts”. She also added that Jugiong was funded by the community, and was best served by a Cootamundra-Harden merger. But if the Harden-Boorowa-Young merger were to go ahead, she reiterated the Jugiong community’s wish to be included with Cootamundra-Gundagai.
Councillor Tony Wallace of Young, a ratepayer of the Harden Shire, attracted considerable attention from the crowd when he listed the shared services between Harden, Boorowa and Young. This attention turned to boos and jeering from the crowd when he mentioned the Rural Fire Service. He described the CGH merger as “political suicide” and a “financial farce”, that would weaken the Hilltops brand in the wake of international flights beginning to Canberra, which would open up potential markets for the area. He was booed as he returned to his seat.
Greg Stevens-Jones of Kingsvale, a resident of 13 years, stated his opposition to the CGH proposal and that the Hilltops merger was a natural fit. He pointed out that only 8% of the Harden Shire returned the surveys to Council that resulted in more than 90% of those respondents supporting the Harden Cootamundra merger. He said that the CGH proposal was “Anything but Young. I reckon this is a disgrace.”
John McEvoy was the last to speak, and pointed out that the biggest issue regarding the Harden-Boorowa-Young proposal was representation and “the loss of democratic rights.” He also added that the amalgamation efforts of the state government may have won the argument for a centralised form of government, rather than a state-based form. He also criticised the lack of information from the state government. “Nobody knows what is going on,” he said. “We are all people, and the state government is making us scared by the lack of information. The state government needs to be more open and up front.”
Fewer residents attended the Public Inquiry on Tuesday than the previous inquiry regarding Harden, Young and Boorowa, however there was plenty of passion in the room from locals and speakers from neighbouring Shires regarding the current proposal of Harden, Gundagai and Cootamundra.
The Inquiry finished at 3:40pm, although the Delegate and his staff were required to remain until 5:00pm. Boorowa Public Inquiry 117 people attended the Public Inquiry at the Boorowa Ex Services Club on April 5th regarding the Boorowa-Young merger proposal, with 33 people speaking regarding the proposal. The gathering was described by respected Boorowa local and columnist, Derrick Mason as “One of the best attended meetings I have been to.” Although some speakers argued that amalgamation should not be taking place at all, there seemed to be a consensus that Boorowa should not merge with Young alone, and that the trinity of Harden, Boorowa and Young would provide more equality. There was criticism, however, over the lack of information from the New South Wales government, and that more disclosure was needed. Some speakers were also puzzled as to what may have caused the rift between Harden and Boorowa Shire Councils, as more co-operation between the councils was expected. Cootamundra Public Inquiry The Cootamundra Public Inquiry was held at the Cootamundra Ex Services Club after the Harden Inquiry on Tuesday. More than forty people were in attendance, with between 14 to 15 speakers. “The general consensus was that we are still keen on a Cootamundra-Harden Shire, but no one was really interested in Gundagai,” said Cootamundra Shire Councillor, Rod Chalmers. “The three-way merger was seen as a step too far,” he added. Gundagai Public Inquiry The Gundagai Public Inquiry took place on Wednesday morning at a packed Gundagai District Services Club, with a general message from the community that Gundagai wants to stand alone. 45 speakers echoed the same sentiments that the Gundagai community have been articulating throughout the process – the will for Gundagai to stand alone. Member for Cootamundra, Katrina Hodgkinson, also spoke at the Inquiry in support of Gundagai’s position. In addition, 293 signatures were tabled to the Delegate, John Turner. These signatures came from individuals who were against the forced merger of Gundagai, but were unable to make it the meeting because of it being held from 10:00am to 1:00pm – during business hours.
