Support for Stanthorpe

A public meeting held by Return Our Shires Action Group (ROSAG) supporters brought lots of community interest in Stanthorpe on Saturday, October 13.
The people moving to and fro on their Saturday morning shopping rounds were startled to hear the National Anthem and Waltzing Matilda eman-ating from the ‘Roll Up Tree” in the Stanthorpe Piazza as Bob Johnson piped the crowd to attention.
Bob Johnson called the meeting to tell the people who signed petitions and supported the move to restore Stanthorpe Shire, about the meeting with Minister Crisafulli last week and how he ignored their wishes by rejecting the Stanthorpe submission and a request for referendum.
The crowd heard Bob give a brief history of the efficiency and fiscal success of shires serving the State regionally, of the forced amalgamations in 2008 under the Beattie government and he traced the history of the community opposition from that time up to the present.
Sue Johnson, previously secretary Save Our Shires Action Group, pointed to the original Federal Government plebiscite where 89 per cent of the Stanthorpe Shire voted against amalgamation.
Mary Rofe called on those in the community to take action, to maintain the fight for justice for Stanthorpe and the Granite Belt.
“Amalgamations have never saved a cent, no matter where they have been instituted,” she said.
“No-one can show where the savings are in real money, yet the Minister thought it was all right to ignore our petition on economic grounds!”
The ROSAG committee signalled a continuing campaign for the return of the Stanthorpe Shire.
“The State and Federal Governments both think that they can save money by passing costs on to the community,” Mr Johnson said.
“The amalgamations cost Queensland over $200 million, and ours $24.8 million. Government paid $2.37 million. We are paying the rest and much more. Our debt is now $29 million.”
Mary Rofe was outspoken in her criticism of government. “In the current economic climate, with purse strings being tightened everywhere, it seems ludicrous that both levels of government are favouring amalgamated models of delivery which have proved inefficient and costly. They seem to preach one thing and do another.”
ROSAG maintains that a smaller local authority will, as history shows, deliver cost savings and better service. The organisation continues to meet and plan the next moves in this fight. There are moves afoot to form a peak body to pursue the Minister and the Premier.
Contacts: Bob & Sue Johnson 4681 0871, or 0432 950 645 – Mary Rofe 4681 0805 or 0427 617 679.