Council amalgamations and mergers

Grantley Ingram from the Demerge NSW Alliance聽said the 2016 forced amalgamation of councils has been a 鈥渇ailure鈥 and called on聽NSW MPs to support binding plebiscites on council deamalgamations. Pip Hinman reports.

The Demerge NSW Alliance is asking Labor to amend the Local聽Government Act to give residents in forcibly merged councils more say. Pip Hinman聽spoke to聽Brian Halstead from Save Our Councils and DNA聽about why the changes are important.

Judy Hannan (left)

Suzanne James聽spoke to newly-elected聽female Independent MP聽Judy Hannan聽about the opportunities for a progressive cross-bench with a minority NSW Labor government.

Suzanne James talks to Judy Hannan, newly elected Independent MP for Wollondilly and Southern Highlands in NSW.

Kobi Shetty and Philippa Scott

Residents for Deamalgamation confronted Labor's Philippa Scott and The Greens' Kobi Shetty about their views on demerging聽Inner West Council. Pip Hinman reports.

Labor Mayor Darcy Byrne has told Greens and Independent聽councillors to聽develop their own business case for demerger聽if they do not like what is on offer. Peter Boyle reports.

Residents of the Inner聽West Sydney community, and many suburbs beyond to Penrith, lost a great activist for social and environmental justice, write聽Adrienne Shilling and Peter Hehir.

Residents concerned about local democracy聽from as far聽as Bombala and the Central Coast as well as Pittwater lobbied NSW聽Labor delegates to keep councils local. Video and report by聽Peter Boyle.

The NSW local government minister's support for Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council to demerge opens the way for other聽councils to deamalgamate. Pip Hinman 谤别辫辞谤迟蝉.听

The New South Wales Coalition government鈥檚 forced amalgamation of councils looks set to become an election issue. Peter Boyle reports.

Town and country united in a Keep Councils Local rally at NSW parliament, where speakers called on the Coalition government to act. Video by Peter Boyle.

Inner West Labor councillors voted to put a problematic demerger business case on public exhibition, against the wishes of Greens and Independent councillors who said it needed more work. Peter Boyle reports.