“Do you support the Queensland Government’s decision to amalgamate your council with other council areas?”
That's the question that the Australian Electoral Commission wants the answer to by next Friday.
However Cairns electors won't be asked. Evidently we don't give a toss about almagamating with Port Douglas. Atherton, Herberton, Eacham, Mareeba, and Port Douglas will have their say.
The Tablelands shires were already active in a shared-services agreement and therefore felt betrayed by the State Government after being told they would not be included in the mergers.
The Headless Horseman wrote in CairnsBlog about the now infamous anti-amalgamation Port Douglas rally in early August. Douglas Mayor, and member of the Local Transition Committee, Mike Berwick still strongly opposes the amalgamation with Cairns.
In Innisfail, there was relative support for joining up with the southern Council to form Cassowary Coast, after a dramatic year following the aftermath of Cyclone Larry and the sacking of the Council a year later.
Of course, the ballots will have no actual effect other than send a message. Great waste of our money, eh? However, it goes to show that a government needs to let the people have their say. Next time, we hope it will happen before the decision has been taken.
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