In this week's South Western Times

Bunbury Mayor Gary Brennan has prevented the same-sex marriage debate from getting a public hearing because he believes it would not be “good governance” for the council to discuss it.

This revelation, which leads this week’s South Western Times, has raised concern among some councillors and raised fears Mr Brennan was effectively “censoring the issue”.Cr Wendy Giles’s motion – which asked the council to support marriage equality – was prevented from being placed on this Tuesday’s council agenda because it was deemed to be in breach of the standing orders.

The same-sex marriage debate has already been highly contentious in Bunbury following Forrest MHR Nola claim that the country was not ready to support it.

RELATED STORY: Australians 'not ready' for same-sex marriage: MHR

In other news in this week’s Times, Greater Bunbury councils are chasing hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid rates, the Dardanup shire is urging women to nominate for the October 17 local government election and one aged care facility is trying to create its own “Gnomesville” to rival the Ferguson Valley tourist attraction.