Councillor calls for vote on amalgamation

Bunbury councillor Michelle Steck will next week call for a referendum to give residents of Greater Bunbury a chance to say if they support a merger of the region’s councils.

The push comes as Premier Colin Barnett announced Perth’s 30 councils would be cut down to 14, dramatically redefining the city’s local government boundaries.

Cr Steck told the Times she would ask the Bunbury City Council next week to support a public vote asking if the city should amalgamate with Harvey, Dardanup and Capel councils.

She said she would write to the neighbouring councils asking for the poll to also be open to their residents.

“To date the people of Bunbury have not been consulted and they have a right to be heard,” she said.

WA Nationals Leader Brendon Grylls said on Monday the party would back the metro mergers on the condition regional councils remained untouched.

The next day the Premier said no special exemptions would be granted for regional councils, pouring cold water over Mr Gryll’s claim.

Opposition Local Government spokesman David Templeman said he expected the Mandurah and Bunbury areas would become the State Government’s focus when it was finished with the merger of the metropolitan councils.

Cr Steck said a merger would not provide any benefits and she disagreed with Bunbury Mayor David Smith on the issue.

The Mayor has been a vocal supporter of a merger with the neighbouring councils, saying his view has been endorsed three times by the Local Government Advisory Board.

Capel shire president Murray Scott said his shire’s ratepayers had been surveyed some years ago and the results showed they did not support amalgamation and a new referendum was not needed. Dardanup Shire Council last week agreed to start a committee with community involvement to promote its stance against amalgamation.

Cr Steck’s referendum motion will go before the council at next Tuesday’s meeting.