28/11/2025
🚩🚩SAY YES TO END THE STRUGGLE🚩🚩
YES TO DE-AMALGAMATION
‼️Amalgamation caused too much heartache, disruption and financial hardship for the community.
🚩Tumut Community Association strongly supported De-amalgamation, made submissions to the Boundaries Commission. It must happen quickly so that de-merged council can move on, take our region forward and for welfare of community and council staff.
‼️Larger council has not achieved savings and caused financial hardship for the community. Evidence of this is reported debt and disarray of finances, rate rises 35.95% 2022/2023 and 2023/2024, requested unaffordable Special Rate Variations for 2024/2025, 2025/2026 and 2026/2027
🚩It is clear there are financial advantages from de-amalgamation for community and council. No need for large rate rises, reduction in travel costs for staff, councillors and in staff costs for overtime and stress related leave
‼️A smaller region makes it easier to project costs, budget, plan and provide improved services and facilities. Council staff familiar with their region helps advocacy and cost-effective service delivery for the community.
🚩Advantages of de-amalgamation include increased opportunity for Tumut region businesses to increase income from goods and services provided to council by removing competition with Tumbarumba businesses. A greater chance of recruiting and retaining staff looking for an improved lifestyle without having to travel long distances and work excessive overtime. Increased contact and consultation with the mayor and councillors.
‼️The natural flow for business, health and education outside of Tumut is to Wagga Wagga not Tumbarumba.
🚩De-amalgamation needs to be swift and without impact on staff and 2015 de-amalgamation of health districts shows that this can be achieved by NSW Government.
‼️In conclusion continued Amalgamation will have serious and detrimental effects on the entire community including inevitable unaffordable rate rises. The 2023 study by Professor Drew showed 65% of population support De-amalgamation and 15% disagreed. 🚩De-amalgamation will be like a breath of fresh air, a weight lifted for the community and council. The struggle to make the unworkable amalgamation a success will be over. Energy can be put into taking our region forward, reducing debt, keeping rates affordable and providing improved services and infrastructure.
