De-merge Cumberland Council

24/05/2026

24/05/2026

Tuesday morning outside NSW Parliament House. Residents tell our members of Parliament, "hands off our public recreation space's".

12/09/2025

Survey update: how to show you oppose turning Carnarvon into a cemetery
Many of you are completing the Metropolitan Memorial Parks survey. A reminder that the survey isn’t neutral. It’s framed in a way that pushes conversion. If you oppose the plan, here’s how you might answer:
Q1 Awareness: Yes - I know a lot about it
Q2 Importance of a solution: Somewhat important
Q3 Familiarity with “modern memorial parks”: Somewhat familiar
Q4 How you’d feel about one nearby: Very negative
Q5 If one were at Carnarvon: Very unacceptable
Q6 Why acceptable or unacceptable? Here are lines you might like to consider:
- Unacceptable because it removes irreplaceable community green space used every day.
- Loss of sport facilities and junior pathways that keep kids active and connected.
- More heat and less shade as tree canopy is reduced.
- A cemetery is not genuine open space. It permanently restricts community use.
- Amenity and safety concerns for families using Coleman Park and nearby fields.
- No genuine consultation with local residents or local faith organisations.
- Burial capacity is being delivered elsewhere. Do not take land from the living.
Q7 Anything else you want to say? Here are concerns you might like to consider:
- Keep Carnarvon in community hands. Do not convert it to a cemetery.
- The survey is leading and omits a clear “no cemetery” choice.
- Require a fair process that tests alternatives on appropriate sites.
- Publish an independent, transparent assessment of burial demand and current supply.
- Prioritise new cemetery capacity on suitable land, not existing recreation space.
- Once taken, this land is lost forever. The cost to future generations is unacceptable.
- Protect and improve green space for health, climate resilience and community sport.
Please complete the survey and share this guide with neighbours and local clubs. The more consistent our responses, the harder we are to ignore.

Sydney faces a burial space crisis. Explore the proposed modern memorial park to increase accessible and affordable interment options for the community.

12/09/2025

12/09/2025

So the CEO of Metropolitan Memorial Parks went on ABC the other day and claimed:

Within 10 to 15 kilometres of that space is 66% of people that were buried.

Cool. Just so we're clear — here’s what 15 kilometres from Rookwood actually looks like ⬇️

So... the other 33% must be coming from the Eastern Suburbs and North Shore?
Translation: basically all of Sydney.

Also, once again — no mention of the 136,000 burial plots at Varroville. Just quietly left that part out.
Cumberland City Council Lidcombe Waratah FC Carnarvon Golf Club NSW Labor Jason Clare

17/07/2025

A positive step now the NSW State Labor Government needs to step up and fund the de-merger process for all Councils forced into Amalgamation where the majority of residents support a demerger, this is local democracy at work. Amalgamations of Councils has been a disaster in the making with the corporatisation of Local Government and a growing alienation from local residents.
Congratulations to all those residents from Cootamundra - Gundagai who worked to bring this result.

The New South Wales government approves the separation of Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council, the first demerger of the 44 councils that were forcibly amalgamated in 2016.

06/09/2024

Cumberland City Council has one of the worst ratios of Councillors - population.

Council amalgamations – and councils that refused amalgamation – have resulted in enormous disparity headed into next week’s local government elections.

12/05/2024

Sign and share the petition to De-merge Cumberland Council at www.DemergeCumberland.org

14/03/2024

After years of discontent across city and regional councils, NSW MPs will soon be debating two de-malgamation bills.

Labor’s de-amalgamation bill is problematic, because it concentrates power in the hands of the minister and removes the state's liability to pay the initial one-off cost.

However, a bill developed with communities across the state, tabled by Dr Amanda Cohn, provides a clear pathway for councils to de-amalgamate, while empowering communities and councils to take the initiative.

Sign our letter to send a message to NSW MPs to support Dr Amanda Cohn’s bill.

After years of discontent across city and regional councils, NSW MPs will soon be debating two de-malgamation bills. Labor’s de-amalgamation bill is problematic, because it concentrates power in the hands of the minister and removes the state's liability to pay the initial one-off cost. However, a...

13/03/2024

Community representatives from across the state gathered in front of New South Wales Parliament on March 12 to demand NSW Labor not proceed with its bill which, essentially, would make it harder for forcibly merged councils to deamalgamate.

Community representatives from across the state demanded NSW Labor stick to its policy, and promises, to help forcibly merged councils wishing to deamalgamate to do so. Pip Hinman reports.