A merger between Kiama Municipality and Shoalhaven City Council will cause problems with management, logistics, service delivery and representation by reducing the workforce that manages the city assets while the population continues to grow at greater than 1.5 per cent per annum.

It is significant that at the Nowra Public Enquiry, the government’s official channel to receive community views, of the twenty three people registered to speak one was neutral and all other speakers rejected the proposal. No one spoke in favour of the proposed merger. Mayor Joanna Gash spoke against the proposed merger in its present form but left the door wide open to change her position if circumstances change.  

One could believe that leaving this door open has left the Shoalhaven community in a state of hesitancy. While there is the possibility of winning an advantage or sidestepping a disadvantage, the community has lost sight of what is truly at stake, the methodical breakdown of the democratic process and the gradual systematic erosion of freedom of choice. This hesitancy or lack of action will be interpreted by the government as condoning its position.

It is concerning that the community has become accustomed to this lack of direction and have become complacent. Comments such as “it is already a foregone conclusion” and “the government will do what it is going to do anyway regardless of what we say” have become commonplace. 

The real enemy in this issue is not having the faith and confidence as a community to believe we can make a difference and communicate our standpoint to the government. Make a decision, stand up and be counted and take some action. This is the time to draw a line in the sand and stand up for convictions. 

If residents don’t feel justly treated by how the government has implemented this proposed merger then they must do something about it. Standing by passively watching it all happen is easy, no one has to do anything. If residents don’t take appropriate action immediately, it will all be over and everyone will be left wondering what happened.

Opportunities to respond to the process are vanishing very quickly. Send in a written submission, contact your local state MP and come to the public meeting in the Ulladulla Civic Centre on Wednesday, February 10 at 7pm and have your say, it may be your last opportunity. Finally come to the public enquiry being held in Ulladulla. (date to be advised). 

Contrary to the state government’s ads on radio and TV there has been no community consultation in our area about the councils merging. So their ads smack of propaganda to me.

Our South Coast MP is a member of the Liberal state government and has been particularly quiet on the proposed amalgamation along with our Mayor who is also a former Liberal member of the House of Representatives. What are they hiding from us? Have they been gagged? Why the secrecy? Who suggested this merger?

Professor Brian Dollery, director of the Centre for Local Government at the University of New England, says the NSW council amalgamation report is full of errors and ignores what it wants to ignore. 

I see this as cost cutting with the opportunity for the state government to get their greedy hands on our golden resource/asset - Shoalhaven Water - and the loss of jobs and services. 

I would like to keep our communities run by community representatives who know and care about those who they represent.