Premier Beattie under pressure over council amalgamations ...
... Rudd fears electoral backlash and tells Beattie to back down.
Excerpt from the Courier Mail:
Rudd's call to dump mergers
17 May 2007
Federal Labor leader Kevin Rudd has weighed into the council amalgamation brawl, demanding that Peter Beattie review his controversial plan.
Mr Rudd issued the call after meeting the Premier yesterday amid fears that forced amalgamations might harm Labor's federal election chances.
"I have asked the Premier to review his council amalgamation proposal," Mr Rudd said in a statement last night.
"I believe it is possible to obtain significant economic efficiencies from a number of local authorities without the forced amalgamation of councils."
See - Rudd fears backlash.
Add the SEQ recycled water issue into the equation and Federal Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd has plenty to worry him in the run up to this year's Federal election ...
posted by Concerned Ratepayer at 6:39 AM
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Excerpt from the Courier Mail:
Labor split on amalgamation
18 May 2007
The controversial issue of forced council amalgamations threatens to divide Labor in Queensland.
Federal leader Kevin Rudd outraged many in his own party yesterday as he introduced right-wing independent MP Bob Katter as "my friend" at a fiery Townsville rally.
Mr Katter – who has stood in opposition to Labor for years on multiple issues – and Mr Rudd united against the amalgamation plans of the state Beattie Labor Government.
Senior members of the Queensland ALP fear that continuing divisions over the issue will harm the party's chances of winning crucial seats in the approaching federal election.
Mr Rudd called for the people of Queensland to be given a vote through a referendum on amalgamations that affect their shires.
"And my proposal to Premier Beattie was simple and straightforward: let's ensure that when it comes to this local government review commission, that non-amalgamation options are put forward because it's important to preserve local voice and local choice. I ask my friend, Bob Katter, to say a few things."
Mr Katter then thanked Mr Rudd for his support on the issue. Labor Party sources said the relationship between Mr Rudd and Mr Beattie was becoming increasingly strained with the pair fighting bitterly over the amalgamation issue during a meeting in the Premier's Brisbane office on Wednesday afternoon.
One senior Labor source said Mr Rudd had used the press conference as a stunt in an attempt to prove to the electorate that they should not fear across-the-board Labor governments.
"It shows he's not going to be a pushover if there are Labor governments across the board," the source said.
The issue was seized by Prime Minister John Howard, who predicted Mr Beattie would sweep the council amalgamation issue under the carpet until after the federal election.
Mr Howard, who was in Cairns yesterday, said he opposed any attempt at forced amalgamations regardless of their impact on the looming federal election.
"Let me predict something," Mr Howard said. "Mr Beattie will find a way of putting it off (the amalgamation issue) until after the federal election, and then he will still go ahead with it. It's as cynical as you can get."
Mr Rudd's appearance with Mr Katter came just hours before he was due to be the special guest at a Labor fundraiser in Brisbane where he was to be introduced to the crowd by the Premier.
Earlier, Mr Beattie had written to the commissioners heading the review into councils, asking them to ensure the terms of reference were expanded so they also considered non-amalgamation options.
But he also stressed that: "If the commission recommends that there be forced amalgamations, then there will be."
8:15 AM, May 18, 2007
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