In 2014 the promise of “no forced mergers” was made, but then a little turn-around occurred and we had to qualify for rating of being "Fit forthe Future". 

Well we rated OK we passed with flying colours and Kiama’s result was almost as good, therefore locals thought we did not have to merge. But our little ivory tower-dwellers thought different, and on December 18 they announced that the two councils would have to merge. 

I shudder to think of the cost to the taxpayers that the last four and a half months has accrued by on-going meetings in both Kiama and Shoalhaven to convince us that the merger was not only going to happen but necessary and all the advertising and glossy brochures associated with that, not to mention the wages of the Office of Local Government Delegate and staff working on the proposal. 

My heart felt sympathy goes to all the families that have lived through these months not knowing whether they would have a job in the future, the heartache that they have gone through to know that in an already high unemployment area they may be added to that list.

The ivory tower-dwellers that know nothing about who we are, what we are and what we stand for were in for the shock of their lives. 

The residents of both areas fought a strong, hard and tireless campaign to show their support in order to maintain the individual councils and their unique individual identities. They, supported by community leaders such as Gilmore MP Ann Sudmalis stood firm in their opinion that it should not go ahead. 

And in the end common sense prevailed and we won. Long live the Shoalhaven!

It would appear that a well placed whisper or two in the right ear seems to have saved the Shoalhaven and Kiama councils from amalgamation. The folly of initial decision to consider such a move is compounded by the decision once made to be reversed at the eleventh hour.

All that would appear to be achieved is further distrust in our local and state political processes. People power some would say but I say political survival was more at foot on this occasion. Do not poke the bear or annoy the sleeping dog if you want peace and stability so in future give much more consideration to the ramifications of major policy change.

The announcement the proposed merger of Kiama and Shoalhaven will not go ahead after all is wonderful result for our community and a testament to the hard work, passion and never-say-die commitment to the cause of local control of local affairs from residents and community leaders across the Kiama and Shoalhaven regions, but I hope the benefits are not short-lived.

The fact though that this decision has been handed down does not though satisfactorily answer many of the questions that the community has about this process from start to finish and it does leave a bitter taste in many mouths about the seeming waste of time, money, effort, resources and heartache that the residents, rate-payers and local government employees of the Shoalhaven and Kiama have been subject to over the course of the last few years.

It does not answer questions about why Shoalhaven Water was not included in the original proposal when the powers-that-be understood that a merged Shoalhaven-Kiama City Council would have been stuck with an untenable situation of two water providers covering the same territory, and what does this new decision mean in the long run for our most cherished local asset.