A public meeting in Oberon on Monday night attracted an estimated 600 people who voted unanimously to say no to any amalgamation.

And former Oberon mayor Keith Sullivan came out swinging yesterday, saying Bathurst is full of great people and amenities, but “the best thing as far as I am concerned to come out of Bathurst is still the road to Oberon”.

All NSW councils have until November 18 to present a voluntary plan for their future to Local Government Minister Paul Toole before change is forced on those councils deemed unfit to remain as they are.

Oberon was deemed unfit to stand alone in the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal’s Fit For The Future report on the long-term sustainability of the state’s 152 councils. 

Blayney, Lithgow, Cabonne and Orange were also deemed unfit to stand alone, but Bathurst was declared to be healthy.    

“It is now obvious that the proposed Fit For The Future process has been infiltrated by the bureaucrats with the view of implementing their long- term belief that the number of local government councils should be reduced by any means,” Mr Sullivan said.

“Under the guidelines being applied, Oberon is disadvantaged by the perception that all councils under 10,000 people will struggle for future viability. Whilst this may or may not be correct with some councils, it is not the situation in the Oberon LGA which has a viable commercial area and a combination of forestry, wood processing, rural and tourism industries supporting the local socio-economic viability.

“In fact, the township of Oberon has community infrastructure that would be the envy of many larger regions – that is hospital and aged care facilities, town and village community centres, library, a school up to Year 12, swimming pool, covered multi-purpose indoor sports centre, public golf course, and a variety of sporting fields and parks. 

“It also has a state significant wood processing centre located within the town environs and a sewerage and water system that can cater for more than double the town population. 

“This is all tied together by the local council and its employees who have an understanding of local and industry issues, minimising land use and other conflicts. These are factors which IPART and the Government wish to ignore with a view of forcing their amalgamation objective, which would have horrendous impact on our community.”

Mr Sullivan said Oberon would lose its identity, essential services would be reduced and its township would be commercially decimated if it was amalgamated.

He said if Bathurst Regional Council wished to help with the process, it would allow the Oberon community to reach a decision without interference.

“Don’t get me wrong in saying all this. Bathurst is full of great people and has great amenities and facilities, however, the best thing as far as I am concerned to come out of Bathurst is still the road to Oberon,” Mr Sullivan said.

“Despite assurances given by the current Government in regards to forced amalgamation, it would be a great mistake for the community to think that amalgamation cannot happen and if the position of the majority is for this not to occur, then they should express it as strongly as possible.”

Bathurst mayor Gary Rush has previously said it should be up to the Oberon community to decide its future, but Bathurst needs to talk to its neighbours about potential changes to local government in the region.