Council restructuring.
Veil of secrecy over council changes

The Mayor of Leichhardt, in Sydney's inner west, last week led a convoy 
of 40 garbage and tip trucks to Parliament House in protest against the 
State Governments' plan to remove the suburbs of Glebe and Forest Lodge 
from Leichhardt and hand them over to the City of Sydney Council.

The councils most affected by the proposed boundary changes are inner-city 
South Sydney and Leichhardt and, to a lesser extent, Woollahra and 
Waverley. Under a veil of secrecy the Carr Government has rammed the 
changes through.

"The boundary changes have been forced on our community without a shred of 
consultation or evidence that the changes will benefit the community", said 
Leichhardt, Mayor, Maire Sheehan.

Late last November the Government gave the councils just six days to argue 
why the changes should not take place. The councils then went to the 
Supreme Court and gained an extension, to last Thursday, February 28.

The Government then sent Boundaries Commission consultants with orders to 
assist with the transfer of the allocated areas to the City of Sydney. The 
consultants were instructed to speak to the council meetings behind closed 
doors and to inform council members that no public statements on the 
discussions could be made.

The councils lodged their submissions on the proposals with the Boundaries 
Commission, and this Wednesday (March 6) verbal presentations from the 
councils are to be made — with press and public excluded.

The stakes are high. For example, South Sydney Council stands to lose 
33,000 residents, 20 per cent of land area, 40 per cent of rates income, 
$35.5 million in annual income and $214 million in assets. The changes will 
move sections currently under South Sydney — based in Kings Cross and the 
University of Sydney — to City of Sydney.

South Sydney warned that the loss of assets and rates income are bound to 
result in service cuts and rate rises for the remaining suburbs.

Furthermore, elected Councillors will not be transferred over, leaving 
residents with no democratic representation until the September 2003 
council elections.

The councils are calling on residents to "Say NO to boundary changes 
without the answers" and to ask their local MPs:

* What benefits will boundary changes at South Sydney and Leichhardt local 
government areas deliver?

* Will each and every council service currently provided, be delivered 
under the City of Sydney Council?

* Will the City of Sydney Council Lord Mayor, Frank Sartor, guarantee there 
will be no rate rises for the next five years?

* Will residents have a say in selecting candidates for council and will 
councillors live locally, or will non-residential ratepayers and property 
owners be in control?

"What does the State Government and the Boundaries Commission want to 
hide?", said Maire Sheehan. "Why the secrecy? Why not hold discussions in 
front of the community which will be effected by any boundary changes?"