Blacktown mayor Stephen Bali slams ‘ludicrous’ plans to sack NSW councils

BLACKTOWN mayor Stephen Bali has flayed a radical plan to sack all councils in NSW and impose ­administrators.

New mayor of Blacktown Stephen Bali at Blacktown Council.

BLACKTOWN mayor Stephen Bali has flayed a radical plan to sack all councils in NSW and impose ­administrators.

Local Government Minister Paul Toole is said to be planning to put a formal submission to the Cabinet, which could have all 152 councils across the state sacked.

Temporary administrators would then run councils until mid-next year as a way to speed up amalgamations.

But Cr Bali said the idea was “ludicrous”.

“It doesn’t make any sense whatsoever,” he said. “The whole thing is madness.”

Local Government Minister Paul Toole may be planning to submit a proposal to have all 152 councils sacked.

The Baird Government has asked councils to examine partner councils to merge with.

Under the controversial proposal to be considered by the Cabinet, councillors and mayors could stand for positions on new “super councils” at the next local government elections.

But councils fear the NSW government is heading ­towards forced amalgamations if they don’t agree to voluntary mergers.

RESIDENTS FIGHT TO PRESERVE DOONSIDE RESERVE

“No forced marriage ever worked,” Cr Bali said.

“Blacktown Council prefers voluntary mergers. We are happy to talk border ­issues. But it needs to be a mature discussion and this idea to sack us all is certainly not that.”

Holroyd Council has also been vocal about forced amalgamations.

Blacktown Council has identified three potential boundaries that could be ­altered if required under the amalgamations.

These include the Pemulwuy industrial area, parts of Toongabbie (which is divided between Blacktown, Holroyd and Parramatta councils) and Girraween, within Holroyd City.

If Cabinet agrees to the plan, the government faces difficulties passing the legislation through parliament.

Toongabbie falls under three councils — Blacktown, Holroyd and Parramatta.

Historically councils have been placed under administration for dysfunction or corruption, and the Government appoints independent officials to oversee all functions. Administrators usually make decisions about the running of the council while also putting forward views of residents in the community.

Cr Bali said ratepayers wanted to be able to directly access their elected councillors to discuss local issues.

“Forced amalgamations don’t work, they haven’t worked in Victoria and Western Australia,” he said.

THE STATISTICS

● Blacktown City Council is the largest local government area by population in NSW, and the fourth largest in Australia, with a resident population of more than 332,000.

● 45 per cent of the popula­tion is under 30 years of age.