SFF member for Orange Philip Donato voiced his frustration after the Nationals and Liberals blocked his bill in state parliament.

“Forced Council amalgamations were the cornerstone of anger across rural communities in the recent Murray and Cootamundra by-elections and the issue was at the forefront in last year’s Orange by-election,” Mr Donato said.

The Local Government Amendment (Amalgamation Referendums) Bill 2017 passed the Legislative Council in June this year but was defeated in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday: 37 to 47.

“The main reason by the Government for opposing this was that it would make it harder for future Council mergers.

“That just shows that there’s more mergers to come.

“Forty-five Local Government areas remain forcibly amalgamated, and despite the New South Wales Government backing down from some mergers, there are still people across the state who did not get a say about their Council’s future.”

SFF MLC Robert Borsak said that the 2019 State election will be the opportunity for people to have their say on these amalgamations.

“The 2019 State election will be people’s chance to have their say,” Mr Borsak said.

Mr Borsak believes the bill and amalgamations are just one of many issues where the Nationals have done the bidding of the Liberal party at the expense of rural communities. 

“We will make sure people don’t forget this betrayal,” he said.

“Some forced Council mergers, like Hilltops Council, have still not been properly funded by the State Government. 

“That means that not only were the Councils forced by the NSW Government to merge against their will, but now the Government refuses to foot the bill for their own unpopular policy.

“It’s just not good enough.”