Beattie ultimatum - no poll on shire amalgamations ...

... and if you have one, he'll stop you.

Excerpt from the Courier Mail:

Councils defiant on poll

4 July 2007

Some councils will push ahead with local referendums on forced amalgamations despite the State Government vowing it will block the polls.

Local Government Minister Andrew Fraser said yesterday that the Government would not allow councils to "waste ratepayers' money" on the polls and would override councils' decisions.

But while western Queensland councils were determined to hold the referendums to show democracy in action, some urban councils have deemed them misguided.

On Monday the Local Government Association of Queensland issued legal advice showing councils tipped to be merged could hold polls on August 18 to show "the will of the people".

By August 1, widespread council boundary changes are expected to be recommended by the Local Government Reform Commission, which was established by the State Government in April. Final borders will be determined by State Parliament by September 1.

Western Queensland Local Government Association president Dougal Davidson said the bid to block local polls exposed the Government's arrogance.
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See - Beattie ultimatum - no poll.