HOW COUNCIL AMALGAMATIONS WILL CHANGE THE FACE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN NSW
* Merging 75 councils will shrink NSW councils from 152 to 112.
* 109 regional councils will drop to 87
* Greater Sydney will go from 43 to 25
WHICH AREAS WILL MERGE?
Sydney:
* Ashfield, Leichhardt, Marrickville
* Auburn, Holroyd
* Bankstown, Canterbury
* Botany Bay, Rockdale
* Burwood, Canada Bay, Strathfield
* Gosford, Wyong
* Hawkesbury, The Hills
* Hornsby, Ku-ring-gai
* Hunters Hill, Lane Cove, Ryde
* Hurstville, Kogarah
* Manly, Mosman, Warringah
* North Sydney, Willoughby
* Parramatta
* Pittwater, Warringah
* Randwick, Waverley and Woollahra
Regional mergers:
* Armidale-Dumaresq and Guyra
* Bathurst, Oberon
* Berrigan, Jerilderie
* Blayney, Cabonne, Orange
* Bombala, Cooma-Monaro, Snowy River
* Boorowa, Harden, Young
* Conargo, Deniliquin
* Cootamundra, Gundagai
* Corowa, Lockhart, Urana
* Dubbo, Wellington
* Dungog, Gloucester
* Goulburn Mulwaree, Palerang
* Jerilderie, Murrumbidgee
* Kiama, Shoalhaven
* Murray, Wakool
* Newcastle, Port Stephens
* Palerang, Queanbeyan
* Shellharbour, Wollongong
* Tamworth, Walcha
* Tumbarumba, Tumut
WHY?
The government claims:
* Shrinking NSW council numbers will create $2 billion in financial benefits.
* Population declines and growing regional centres.
* Removing red tape and improving communication across Sydney and NSW.
Those who oppose it claim:
* The mergers are inherently political process. "These boundaries have no basis in fact; they are the result of trades within cabinet between ministers," opposition local government spokesman Peter Primose says.
Source: NSW government
