Premier Baird’s decision to sack 42 councils demonstrates an incredible arrogance. 

It breaks an election promise not to forcibly merge local councils. 

Democratically elected mayors and councillors have been dismissed and boundaries re-drawn. The new councils will be run by administrators, handpicked by the Premier. These administrators do not represent the community – they answer only to the Premier.

In many areas, the mergers proceeded despite widespread objections from the community. But, because we are in the middle of an election campaign, a couple of mergers in marginal seats have been temporarily halted.

The political cynicism is astonishing, but not surprising.

Every step in this process, from the new boundaries to the timing of the announcement, has been driven by political considerations.

We believe that local government should be reformed, not by forced amalgamations, but by banning developers from office and capping political donations.

Labor is committed to returning democratic decision making to local government and where communities want to overturn the forced mergers, we will provide them with a democratic opportunity to do so.