Anti council amalgamation group claims credit for Baird retirement, says he has ‘cut and run’ from merger mess

ANTI-MERGER campaigners have rejoiced at Premier Mike Baird’s shock retirement today and warned that unless the State Government’s forced amalgamations policy changes the next leader will also be doomed.

Save our Councils president Carolyn Coorigan celebrates with a supporter after the victory by Mosman and North Sydney councils at the Land and Enviroment Court. Picture: John Appleyard

ANTI-MERGER campaigners have rejoiced at Premier Mike Baird’s retirement today, but have warned that unless the State Government’s forced amalgamations policy changes the next leader will be doomed.

Save Our Councils Coalition (SOCC) president Carolyn Corrigan, who is also a Mosman councillor, said she was not surprised at the resignation.

“The SOCC has claimed its biggest scalp ever today in the resignation of Mike Baird,” she said.

“This is a really positive day for SOCC: we got rid of the premier, we got rid of the deputy premier Troy Grant and we will get rid of the next leader as well unless they change the policy on forced council amalgamations.

NSW Premier Mike Baird announces his retirement. picture Mark Evans

“Whoever the leader is we don’t care; unless they change the policy, they will be gone too.

“It’s the policy that is deeply unpopular.

“They are no longer going to survive unless they get rid of this really unpopular agenda.”

The Government wants to merge Mosman with North Sydney and Willoughby councils.

Mosman is involved in two separate legal proceedings against the Government over what the council believes was an unfair and questionable process.

The Save our Councils Coalition protesting ahead of the Orange by-election.

Councillor Corrigan said SOCC firmly believed that the main driver of the record drop in Mr Baird’s approval rating in the past 12 months had been the forced council amalgamations issue.

“I think that Mike Baird has cut and run,” she said.

“He’s going to leave all the difficult agenda stuff to a new leader and he will get a job in the private sector.

“I think that SOCC are ready for whoever takes the leadership reins.”

Cr Corrigan said Mr Baird had a very short leadership.

Carolyn Corrigan with North Sydney councillor and Jeff Morris at a Save Our Councils Coalition rally in Hyde Park. Picture: Braden Fastier

“He has only been premier for 2.9 years, a very short time,” she said.

“I don’t understand why he is leaving, other than these issues are really causing him great grief.

“I don’t really listen to the 10-year rhetoric.

“He came in with all this agenda that he wanted to implement and he’s leaving before a lot of this is implemented and the question is why?

“I think it’s the pressure, the deeply unpopular agenda items that he’s been very much forcing on the people of NSW.”