1st August 2007 The Beattie Government threat to use legislation to stop local councils seeking the public’s opinion on planned council amalgamations is an outrageous abuse of people’s right to be heard, Liberal Leader and … Continue Reading
1st August 2007Despite the division created in the community over the forced mergers of regional councils and the personal abuse directed his way in recent months, Qld Local Government Minister, Andrew Fraser, says he would … Continue Reading
1st August 2007Peter Beattie’s desperation to stop communities having their say and his threats of dismissing councils that held referendums were the actions of a dictator, the State Coalition said today. Queensland Coalition Leader Jeff … Continue Reading
31st July 2007Furious protesters threw eggs and water at Queensland Premier Peter Beattie during a series of ugly clashes over forced council mergers in the State’s central west. Mr Beattie, who travelled with his wife … Continue Reading
30th July 2007 Congratulations to those gathered at Barcaldine yesterday for having the guts and drive to give Beattie and Frazer a welcome they thoroughly deserved. More power to Queensland citizens. We do live in a … Continue Reading
27th July 2007The worst fears of many rural mayors have been realised when Queensland Premier Peter Beattie this morning produced a wall-sized map of the State detailing far more extensive knife wielding than many had … Continue Reading
27th July 2007The number of Queensland councils will be slashed by more than half – from 157 to just 72 – following a review into the state’s local government boundaries announced today. While there will … Continue Reading
26th July 2007The Queensland Government will reveal plans for local government amalgamations tomorrow, almost a week ahead of schedule. The Local Government Reform Commission was snowed under with submissions on the contentious issue of proposed … Continue Reading
4th July 2007The Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) and the State Government have locked horns again on whether it would be lawful for councils to hold referendums on the issue of forced amalgamations. LGAQ … Continue Reading
26th June 2007Further evidence of country Queensland’s rising distaste for Premier Peter Beattie’s push for forced rural and regional council amalgamations has surfaced in a just-released survey. People living in south-east Queensland, but excluding Brisbane … Continue Reading
20th June 2007In a bid to hose-down the increasingly emotive council amalgamation plans for regional and rural Queensland, Premier Beattie has extended his jobs guarantee offer, protecting 30,000-plus shire council employees for three years. Council … Continue Reading
19th June 2007Claims by the Queensland Government that the State’s country councils would collapse in droves financially without amalgamations have been exposed as baseless and without foundation. That’s the thrust of a just-released report by … Continue Reading
13th June 2007The Qld Government has brought forward a meeting-of-minds between disaffected western Queensland mayors and rural organisations over the smouldering issue of forced council amalgamations. Originally penciled in towards the end of the month, … Continue Reading
24th May 2007 For a printable copy of this document, click Page 1 and Page 2. FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFORM COMMISSION ON THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THE GOVERNMENT PROPOSAL TO REFORM LOCAL AUTHORITY … Continue Reading
23rd May 2007 THE IRONY of regional council staff chanting “the workers united will never be defeated” at a series of rallies may be starting to unnerve the Queensland Government’s hard-line approach to forced council … Continue Reading