By Jeremy Sollars
The Granite Belt Community Association (GBCA) has vowed to continue the fight for Stanthorpe to de-amalgamate from Warwick and form a new Granite Belt Council, despite a 7 to 2 vote against the split by Southern Downs Regional councillors today, Tuesday 30 April.
The Association is even proposing Granite Belt residents refuse to pay council rates and utility charges in protest, following an overwhelming majority vote at a community rally held in Stanthorpe last Sunday 28 April, attended by more than 1200 people.
Councillors at the April monthly meeting held at the Warwick Town Hall today all spoke on the proposed split, with the majority citing the “financial risks” of de-amalgamation as their reason for not supporting it.
In the end only Stanthorpe-based councillors Vic Pennisi and Cameron Gow voted in favour of de-amalgamation.
Their fellow Stanthorpe-based councillor Marika McNichol – who was close to tears while speaking – seconded the motion to oppose de-amalgamation, which was moved by Deputy Mayor Jo McNally, who essentially led the charge for the “no split” camp.
Along with Crs McNally and McNichol all other councillors voted against de-amalgamation – Mayor Tracy Dobie and Councillors Neil Meiklejohn, Rod Kelly, Sheryl Windle and Yve Stocks.
Stanthorpe residents at the meeting gave Cr Pennisi rousing cheers and applause when he insisted that the Granite Belt Community Association’s business case for de-amalgamation be referred to the independent Local Government Change Commission.
Cr Pennisi said a report by the Queensland Treasury Corporation (QTC) – which claims de-amalgamation would deliver an 82 per cent rate rise in the first year alone of a new Granite Belt Council and just under 50 per cent each following year – had not been independently reviewed or tested by the Change Commission or any other independent panel or body.
He also pointed out that the GBCA report and the QTC report were both based on figures and modelling supplied by the council and the State Government, saying he could “not understand” why the two reports were at such variance.
“This is the biggest decision of my political career,” Cr Pennisi declared at the start of his speech.
“There is no way of knowing which set of figures gives the real picture.
“I also don’t know why we are being asked as councillors to make a State Government decision.
“But there are discrepancies between these reports and all of the authors must be interrogated by an independent panel, such as the Change Commission.”
Cr Cameron Gow said he agreed with “the bulk” of what Cr Pennisi had said and added that ultimately decisions about de-amalgamation of any Queensland council rests with the State Government and current Local Government Minister Stirling Hinchliffe.
The Free Times has asked the minister if he will still consider referring the GBCA de-amalgamation proposal to the Change Commission and is currently awaiting a response.
The council motion voted in, despite the majority against de-amalgamation, did acknowledge Mr Hinchliffe still had the option of continuing to examine the GBCA de-merger proposal.
Both Cr Dobie and Cr McNally directly attacked the GBCA in their speeches, describing their proposal as “destructive” and “negative”, with Cr McNally accusing the group of “ridiculing” and “lambasting” any Granite Belt residents who opposed de-amalgamation.
Cr Dobie also said Warwick ratepayers currently “subsidised” council services to Granite Belt residents by around “20 per cent”.
Cr McNichol said de-amalgamation would likely mean “vital” projects such as a new $10 million wastewater treatment plant and a $20 million new waste facility might not happen, but also said her “heart says yes” to the split but that she could not support it on financial grounds and the cost imposition it would mean for Granite Belt residents and reduced council services.
Cr Neil Meiklejohn said in his view QTC findings that he could not dispute included $2.21 million for information technology (IT) set-up for a new Granite Belt Council and $1.78 million for a “transition team” to implement de-amalgamation.
Cr Sheryl Windle said many Granite Belt locals were “too afraid to speak up” against the GBCA de-merger proposal and said the GBCA had shown “malice” towards those who did not support them.
Cr Yve Stocks said she would not be “bullied” into supporting de-amalgamation, while Cr Rod Kelly pointed out his long family history with the Stanthorpe region but said he too could not support de-amalgamation on the grounds of financial unsustainability.
Speaking to the Free Times immediately after today’s vote GBCA vice-president Amanda Harrold said the group stood by its report which had been prepared by local government expert David Spearitt, and that rates in other Queensland councils which had de-amalgamated had not increased as had been predicted.
Updates to follow online.
