Colin Barnett has done a deal with Brendan Grylls to force some city councils to merge.
Leader of the opposition Mark McGowan calls State Government's plan to merge councils 'dodgy'. Picture: Stewart Allen Source: PerthNow
A DEAL to merge metropolitan councils in Perth and leave regional councils untouched has been slammed by the West Australian opposition as "secret'' and "dodgy''.
Before the state election in March, Premier Colin Barnett said there would be no forced council amalgamations, but confirmed in The Sunday Times yesterday that the state's 40 councils would be reduced in number.
Today, WA Nationals leader Brendon Grylls revealed he had agreed to support the mergers, provided regional councils were exempt.
Mr Grylls said the state Liberal and National parties had different positions on the matter, so had agreed to a compromise.
WA Labor leader Mark McGowan said the amalgamation plan was the latest in a string of broken election promises by Mr Barnett.
City of Perth boundaries expand
"The Liberal and National parties promised they would not undertake this action, and if they were going to, they should have sought a mandate from the people of Western Australia prior to the state election,'' Mr McGowan told reporters.
"This is a secret, dodgy, murky deal to put up rates for ratepayers in Perth while Mr Grylls ensures that country ratepayers don't have that imposed on them.''
Mr McGowan said rates went up by 25 per cent when the regional councils of Geraldton and Greenough merged in 2007.
"That is what people in Perth can expect when Mr Barnett has his way,'' he said.
More details of the changes will be revealed on Tuesday.
Alannah MacTiernan questions council merge plan
Federal Labor candidate for the seat of Perth Alannah MacTiernan has questioned the legality of the West Australian government plan to force local councils to merge.
Alannah MacTiernan, a former WA government minister and now Mayor of Vincent, said there was a case for local government reform and for a rationalisation of boundaries.
Profile: Alannah MacTiernan
But the inner-city area, centred on Leederville, had different planning issues to the more suburban City of Stirling, with which it is to be joined.
It was more focused on integrating single-storey buildings with higher-rise development, helping strip shopping survive and creating ``street culture'', Ms MacTiernan said.
She would prefer Vincent to become part of the City of Perth.
"The focus of the City of Stirling is entirely different,'' Ms MacTiernan told Fairfax radio.
"Mr Barnett has lobbed on his new member for Perth an absolute nightmare and I do not see how, legally, how he is actually going to be able to deliver this.
"He doesn't have the legislative power to do this.''
The Town of Victoria Park is also against the plan as it could lose millions of dollars in revenue from James Packer's Crown casino complex, which will become part of the City of Perth.
Mr Barnett's office has suggested further details of the changes, to be revealed on Tuesday, could make up for the loss of revenue for Victoria Park.
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