Save Our Shires Action Group

Our Mission Statement is:

To uphold and defend the DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS of Queenslanders
To prevent the FORCED amalgamation of the Stanthorpe Shire and other Queensland Shires
To achieve the REPEAL of this repressive forced amalgamation legislation

VOICE OF THE PEOPLE

Brisbane Rally The results of the plebiscite have delivered an unmistakable message to the Queensland State Government – the people of Stanthorpe and Warwick do not want their councils to be merged. 85% of the Stanthorpe community and 83% of the people of Warwick said NO to amalgamation. This is a clear mandate from the people for the battle to continue. Now all we have to do is convince Bligh and Pitt that NO means NO! From their raucous efforts to discredit the plebiscite results, they are clearly worried. Both have loudly declared the plebiscite to be irrelevant to the reform process in spite of the fact that their boss, the leader of the Labor Party and now the most powerful person in Australia, Kevin Rudd, was calling for a ballot as early as May this year, long before Howard got in on the act.

In September, Kevin reminded me:

‘I indicated my position against the current forced amalgamations proposal as early as 17 May this year. I asked the Queensland Premier to review his council amalgamation proposal to include consideration of non-amalgamation options for sustainability and reform of local government in Queensland, such as strategic alliances between councils. This would have provided better options for local councils to achieve the efficiencies and improvements in financial viability and to service provision demanded by our citizens. Federal Labor supports the proposal for local councils to conduct a plebiscite so that its citizens can have a say in the future of their councils’.

Brisbane Rally To me, that is a clear statement from the Prime Minister of Australia that forced amalgamations are a mistake and that voice of the people as expressed through the results of a plebiscite must be taken into account in determining the outcomes of the local government reform process. Now, we have to remind the Prime Minister of his pre-election words and insist that he acts upon them. I urge the people of Warwick and Stanthorpe to send the Prime Minister a letter or an email insisting that he acts to ensure that the stated policies of the Labor Party are implemented in Queensland.

An email form to send your message to the Prime Minister can be accessed at: http://www.pm.gov.au

While you’re in the writing mood, send copies to:

The Treasurer: Wayne.Swan.MP@aph.gov.au

The new Federal Minister for Local Government: A.Albanese.MP@aph.gov.au

The Minister for Trade: S.Crean.MP@aph.gov.au

The Deputy Prime Minister: Julia.Gillard.MP@aph.gov.au

For the sake of democracy the voice of the people must not only be heard but also heeded.

Trevor Cooper

Stanthorpe