The Daily Liberal Facebook page was flooded with comments on Tuesday, following comments made by Deputy Premier Troy Grant on the amalgamation between Dubbo City and Wellington councils.
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Dubbo and Wellington had to amalgamate because the city couldn't afford a "struggling council on its doorstep", Mr Grant said.
The Deputy Premier made the comment alongside Local Government Minister Paul Toole and Western Plains Regional Council administrator Michael Kneipp.
"Dubbo City itself could have stood alone, there's no doubt about that, the [IPART] report said that, but what the independent report said from the outset is fr the long term benefit of Dubbo, it was a merged partnership with either Wellington or Narromine because to have Dubbo performing at its optimum it couldn't afford to have a struggling council on its doorstep," Mr Grant said.
Anthony Reynolds " Why do the ratepayers of Dubbo have to wear the cost of a "struggling council"? Why not Cabonne or Mid-Western?"
Narelle Grant "Another nail in the coffin for the smaller places as they lose more infrastructure and identity."
Brad Young "Very disappointing."
Mark Deguara "Wellington will bleed Dubbo of essential services and its budget just wait and see."
Shane Anderson "Disturbing how they did the merger. People who served in the community were treated like a number and the rate payers need answers."
Doug Kelly "A token to pacify the west to make us feel good as though we have spokesmen."
Naomi Jeffery "He didn't take any notice before the merger. Are we supposed to say thankyou Mr Grant for killing the town of Wellington and making the new council have to drive 2 hours to fill pot holes at Eucharina."
Susan Kirkwood "So, Dubbo City Council was doing an excellent job. Their reward was an unwanted amalgamation. How insulting to the Council to have this confirmed by Mr Grant."
Darryl Cathery "Dubbo rate payers are the one's who will suffer. Time to sell the house and move."
John William Mason "Dubbo City Council needed a shake up it got it in the form of a merger with Wellington, a struggling council. Dubbo had a lot of old meat in it with views of there own and not of the actual community itself. It was controlled by political parties who were only in there for there own benefit. Yes it was doing good things but in the end it wasn't connecting the benefits together to make it work 100%."