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| Image sourced: Gordan, 2015, Newcastle Herald from http://www.theherald.com.au/story/3483836/mp-outlines-super-council-plan/ |
Former Mayor of Port Stephens, Craig Baumann, has expressed his concern at the proposal to merge Port Stephens and Newcastle City Council.
In his letter to local government, his key concerns were a lack of 'Communities of Interest', an unproportional percentage of representation for Port Stephens, and the implications on Newcastle's airport.
Mr Baumann in his letter alluded to the fact that a recent IPART report declared Port Stephens "Fit for the Future", also stating Newcastle Council has been "dysfunctional" for a long time and that it cannot manage its budget.
"The infusion of funds from Port Stephens will be great for the people of Newcastle in the short term."
It will be disastrous for the residents of Port Stephens and they will fight it tooth and nail,"he said.
He made further suggestions to improve the Hunter which included extending the Northern boundary of the town to include the Myall Lakes.
He encourages residents to lodge objections and make submissions to the government before final decisions are made.
