Page 10 APRIL 10 2011

thesundaymail.com.au10 NEWS thesundaymail.com.auSPECIAL INVESTIGATION

Angry residentsamalgamations

Super mistake‘can’t be fixed’

EXCLUSIVE POLL: HOW OUR

CHANGE SINCE AMALGAMATION

Council Worse No change Better

Moreton Bay 57.3% 37.3% 5.3%

Rockhampton 59.3% 36.7% 4%

Southern Downs 50% 44.7% 5.3%

Sunshine Coast 52.7% 42% 5.3%

Toowoomba 52% 44% 4%

Townsville 49.3% 44.7% 6%

TOTAL 53.4% 41.6% 5%

QUALITY OF SERVICE

Council Worse No change Better

Moreton Bay 67.3% 26% 6.7%

Rockhampton 65.3% 22% 12.7%

Southern Downs 48% 48% 3.3%

Sunshine Coast 40% 59.3% 0.7%

Toowoomba 56.7% 35.3% 6.7%

Townsville 18% 77.3% 4.7%

TOTAL 49.2% 44.7% 5.8%

OVERALL SATISFACTION

Council Very Good Good Fair Poor Very Poor

Moreton Bay 8.7% 22% 39.3% 15.3% 14.7%

Rockhampton 3.3% 22% 34% 20% 20.7%

Southern Downs 5.3% 32% 38% 14.7% 10%

Sunshine Coast 0% 22.7% 57.3% 11.3% 8.7%

Toowoomba 2% 35.3% 32.7% 17.3% 12.7%

Townsville 0.7% 22.7% 46.7% 19.3% 10.7%

TOTAL 3.3% 26.1% 41.3% 16.3% 12.9%

WHAT THE MAYORS SAID

“I accept the criticism and know we have to work very hard and do better’’PETER TAYLOR, TOOWOOMBA

“We did expect a tumultuous four years. Like all amalgamated councils, the perception of our service levels has dropped’’LES TYRELL, TOWNSVILLE

“I think it’s a fair refl ection of people’s opinions. That’s exactly the feedback I’m getting’’

RON BELLINGHAM, SOUTHERN DOWNS

“The survey shows where the weaknesses are and we have to address them’’BOB ABBOT, SUNSHINE COAST

The Sunday Mail asked residents to rate the success of amalgamations

Daryl Passmore

TWO-THIRDS of residentswant to see Queensland’s‘‘super councils’’ disbanded asanger grows over soaring costsand declining services.

An exclusive Sunday Mailpoll of 900 people in six of themajor new councils created bythe forced mergers shows65 per cent of people wouldvote in a referendum to rollback amalgamation.

The results show residentsdo not believe the benefitspromised when the LaborGovernment ordered theamalgamations – in the face ofangry opposition around thestate – have been delivered.

Value for money for rates,standards of service, and plan-ning and management ofpopulation growth have allgone backwards since the newcouncils were formed, accord-ing to a majority of thosepolled.

The survey, by Market Facts(Qld) & Morton ConsultingServices, was commissionedby The Sunday Mail and theLocal Government Associ-ation of Queensland.

Morton Consulting Servicesdirector Alan Morton said:‘‘The level of negativity andthe consistency of it acrosscouncil areas was surprising.’’

Mr Morton said a majorityof residents in all areas were infavour of a return to formercouncil boundaries.

The wish to split is strongeston the Sunshine Coast, where71 per cent of residents favourde-amalgamation – rising to97 per cent in the old Noosacouncil area.

While most mayors ap-proached by The Sunday Mailaccepted that resident dissatis-faction levels were high, anangry Rockhampton mayorBrad Carter scoffed at theresults.

‘‘The release of the infor-mation appears to be anagenda for the LGAQ tosupport de-amalgamation andsupport the Opposition inQueensland,’’ Mr Carter said,adding his council would re-view its membership of theLGAQ.

The LGAQ was fiercelyopposed to the forced mergers

at the time but now says it istoo late to turn back the clock.‘‘It’s completely useless to befighting old fights,’’ LGAQexecutive director GregHallam said. ‘‘Everyone inlocal-government land hasmoved on and is trying tomake the most of the cardsthat have been dealt.

‘‘We don’t for a momentbelieve you can unwind all ofthe amalgamations. Theremay be some limited circum-stances where, if the com-munities themselves deter-mine that they should de-amalgamate, that that couldoccur. But we don’t think thatwill be widespread.’’

The survey found the over-all satisfaction level with coun-cil performance was 58 percent – the lowest level in the 14years Mr Morton had beentracking it.

‘‘This is such a big drop, itshould be of concern,’’ he said.

Across the six regions sur-veyed, six in 10 people say theyare getting less value formoney from their rates.

As Redcliffe mayor, AllanSutherland was one of thestrongest opponents of amal-gamations, pushing a wheel-barrow filled with a22,000-signature petitionmore than 30km to Parlia-ment House. Now, as MoretonBay Mayor, he has become avocal advocate of the benefits.

But Moreton Bay residentsregistered the most negativeresults in the poll for quality ofcouncil service and value forrates.

passmored@qnp.newsltd.com.au

Voters may make Labor pay for mergersCOMMENTDaryl Passmore

THE forced amalgamation of localcouncils was one of the final acts ofPeter Beattie’s government, just amonth before he retired. It was also,perhaps, the most disgraceful.

Three years on, the dictatorial andundemocratic mergers are also provingto be costly and ineffective.

The survey of six of the biggestmerged councils, commissioned by TheSunday Mail/LGAQ, clearly shows resi-dents’ anger over the decision still burnsstrongly.

People are venting their frustration,feeling they have been stripped of theindividual identities that made theircommunities distinct.

But they also feel ripped off, perceiv-ing they are paying more for less.

They don’t see the cost efficienciesand improved services that they werepromised.

With councils trying to pay off recorddebt and unable to borrow more forcapital projects, it is difficult to see howratepayer mood will improve in theforeseeable future.

Voters will have to make theirfeelings known at the ballot box. It’scalled democracy.

THE GREATMERGER■ August 2007: StateGovernment passesamalgamation law, reducing 156councils to 72 and slashing thenumber of mayors andcouncillors by 724.

■ September 2007: PremierPeter Beattie announces hisretirement. Councils hold astatewide plebiscite onamalgamations, resulting ina huge ‘‘no’’ vote.Government says it will goahead anyway.

■ March 2008: First elections ofnew ‘‘super-councils’’.

■ March 2012: Next councilelections due.