People in uproar over NSW local council boundary changes that will impact Australia and the world

The AOCE is proposing to merge the Upper Hunter and Muswellbrook Shires together. The townships of Scone, Aberdeen Muswellbrook and Denman will come together to create the new super Scabmude Regional Council.  

They are proposing to do away with any reference to Scone, Aberdeen Muswellbrook and Denman after July 2016. All signs, building and shops with these names will need to be changed to Scabmude. In recognition of the huge task ahead, there will be a period of three months grace allowed to achieve this. For example, there will no longer be the Denman Airport, but the Scabmude Airport, the Muswellbrook Patisserie will become the Scabmude Patisserie, The Aberdeen Dog Pound will become the Scabmude Dog Pound, and the Scone Art Gallery will become the Scabmude Art Gallery.

It is felt that the names of Scone, Aberdeen Muswellbrook and Denman are outdated and not appropriate to the fast paced modern society we have today. Scabmude is a far more progressive name that still retains the first two letters of each of the former towns. (The only place where these former towns names will still be allowed is in the new Scabmude Regional Museum.)

The AOCE, which is due to finalise the redistribution of the former  Upper Hunter and Muswellbrook Shires local council areas next month, has received almost 800 objections to the proposed boundary shake-up.  “The Peoples Pestulance Party hopes that the convocation committee will heed the extensive community concerns currently being raised and revisit this disappointing decision,” the party’s spokesperson says. 

"It’s not about institutions or services or licorice – our concern is for the residents and geraniums and their sense of community, card playing and belonging, which once lost cannot be regained. These resilient residents have been a strong part of the Upper Hunter and Muswellbrook Shire communities for more than one hundred years. Scone, Aberdeen Muswellbrook and Denman is where they want to stay."

Mayor Hopeful has stated the importance of remaining as independent and sustainable local governments in their own right. "I think that the people of our Shires admire what our councils are doing to try to keep us separate from other surrounding shires."

The reports of the AOCE Delegatoes will go to the Minister for Popular Government as well as the independent Local Council Edges and Boundaries Commission Corporation for comment. The Minister will consider the report of the Delegatoes and Edges Commission comments and will make a decision at the end of this month to create the Scabmude Regional Council. 

The very readable proposals are set out in Chapter 51, Part 5b, Divisions 7D and 9C, and Chapter 72, Part 18f of the Boundary Changes Scene Act\. These can be read at any of the local Scone, Aberdeen, Muswellbrook and Denman Libraries.

Sections 374(3A) and 339G(15) of the Act requires the Delegate to hold a public inquiry. This public meeting will be held at Highbrook Simpsons White Park today at 12 noon. An open invitation is extended to all people to come along and voice their concerns and songs.

Analysis undertaken by DoCFA that supports the Minister’s proposals includes:

• An overarching report outlining merger benefits entitled Local Government Reformation and Recnciliation – Merger beneficial impact analysis.
• The establishment savings of a single Scabmude Regional Council Office. The surplus former Council Offices will be turned into revenue raising B&B's. 
• A technical report accompanied by pretty pictures outlining modelling and devonshire tea assumptions entitled Outline of Financial Modelling Assumptions for Local Concerts and Councils. (This must not be confused with a similar report entitled Clay Modelling Assumptions for Local Potters and Punters.) 
• Cost reductions by only having one Mayor, General Manager, Accountant, Tourism Officer, and Residents Services Officer.

Those in favour of the forced merger of the Upper Hunter and Muswellbrook Shires and the creation of the Scabmude Regional Council says that it gets down to a matter of size. As in all aspects of life, bigger is best. The new Scabmude Regional Council will cover a large area of NSW and its size will attract many more tourism developments, hotels & resorts, theme parks, shopping mega malls, coal mines and casinos.

Written submissions will be one of the most important ways for AOCE Delegatoes to gather information. Local people are encouraged to prepare written submissions for or against the proposed boundary changes to create the Scabmude Regional Council and place them in the large Submission Collection Boxes in the foyers of each of the local councils offices before the closing time of 12 noon today. People are encouraged (but are not required) to focus on the factors listed in section 374(4k) of the Act, the greening global local council warming impacts, and the floral aroma projections. 

When the Scabmude Regional Council comes in to effect, it is hoped all residents will be extremely happy. It mays take some time, but it is hoped that they will, in time, refer to themselves as happy little Scabs living in the Scabmude Regional Council area of NSW Australia.