Devolution referendum finds support from Tableland Regional Council
The proof of support for a referendum on devolution from the
Tableland Regional Council was now clear, former Mareeba Shire mayor Mick Borzi
said yesterday.
More than 600 people packed into Mareeba's International Club
to discuss a range of issues affecting the town. "We called for a vote for a referendum to de-amalgamate," Mr
Borzi said. "There was only one vote against."
Mr Borzi said there might have been two or three abstentions
but essentially the voting was 600 to one. He said before Mareeba Shire amalgamated with Atherton,
Herberton and Eacham shires four years ago, a poll showed 86 per cent of locals
opposed the move.
Mr Borzi said people outlined "frustrations" including
developers having to wait long to progress projects and people having
communication difficulties. "I will now write to the heads of the political parties and to
the Government telling them about the meeting and the outcome and see what
happens," Mr Borzi said.
He said it would be a "very courageous" Government that
rejected outright a call for a request for a vote on de-amalgamation. Mr Borzi said the cost of de-amalgamating would be $2.3
million, but he expected the Government to pay. "It was forced upon us by the State Government so the people should not have
to pay for it…the Government should," he said.
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I was against amalgamation to begin with. Now that we are amalgamated - it will cost ratepayers money to deamalgamate. For reasons of requiring better infrastructure on tablelands we need to remain a strong united Council to have a strong voice. There was a lot more than one vote against at the meeting. I know quite a number of people who are against de-amalgamation - but just did not put their hands up. There were plenty of others who refused to attend the meeting as they did not want to support Borzi. Borzi does not understand Broader regional issues and the 'big picture'.
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