A PETITION calling for a fast-tracked amalgamation of Greater Bunbury local governments has surfaced on activism website change.org
Directed at WA premier Colin Barnett, creator Adam Johnson demands the merging of shires Harvey, Capel and Dardanup with the City of Bunbury.
Business and industry development, population growth and infrastructure investment are highlighted as reasons for joining, along with rates income and region planning.
“The weight of community expectations is more than can be delivered by a regional City that only attracts its rates income from one third of the population that actually uses the City's facilities,” the petition reads.
“Residents who reside in the surrounding Shires neither contribute financially nor have a say in the future of the City of which we are so proud, because we are not ratepayers and have no vote.”
The petition comes as the City of Bunbury prepares to introduce a rates hike that could see the rates of many local businesses increase by more than 50 per cent.
A written petition fighting the move, containing 300 signatures, was lodged to the City of Bunbury last week.
City of Bunbury councillor Murray Cook appears as a supporter on Mr Johnson’s online appeal.
“For all the reasons articulated by Adam, I want all [four] councils to merge without boundary changes,” Mr Cook wrote.
“This is important for the long term future of the local government – boundary changes are a short term band-aid solution.”
Mayor Gary Brennan told the Bunbury Mail that while he believed a Greater Bunbury amalgamation was “only a matter of time,” it was not on his radar.
He said the weight online petitions held were restricted as they might not represent a cross section of the community.
“Nothing replaces robust objective discussions based on balanced research and in-person consultations across the full-cross section of our community on major issues such as this,” Mr Brennan said.
The petition had 17 signatures at the time of publication.