Following the forced merger of Ashfield, Leichhardt, and Marrickville Councils by the NSW Government in 2016, Inner West Council is required now by the NSW Government to harmonise the rates of all property owners within the Inner West Council.

This proposed harmonisation represents an average 15-22% increase on last year’s rates for property owners of the former Marrickville LGA. This is happening at a time of financial distress for many people and is a significant increase given the effects of a global pandemic on people’s livelihood and work security.

The words “rate harmonisation” misleads ratepayers into believing they are getting a “payment relief” instead of a payment increase.  This was not communicated and/or publicized properly. Moreover, no additional services are provided for local residents and businesses in the former Marrickville, Ashfield, or Leichhardt LGAs, making this increase totally unjustifiable and unconscionable.

Polling of residents at the time of the forced amalgamation suggested strong opposition to amalgamation, and the NSW Government did not consult residents. We have been denied a say in how we are governed. We did not support the amalgamation and we do not support the harmonisation of rates.

The only way the rate harmonisation can be stopped is to call for a referendum of all IWC’s residents, and should those residents vote to end the amalgamation, and the Minister for Local Government agree, the Councils would then demerge and Councils would then be able to set their rates independently of each other.

The undersigned petitioners therefore ask Inner West Council to promptly request the Minister for Local Government, Shelley Hancock, to:

1.    Immediately freeze the harmonisation of rates;

2.    Call an urgent referendum of residents of the Inner West Council to consider whether they would prefer to revert to the former local government areas of Ashfield, Leichhardt, and Marrickville.

I urge you to sign this petition. I honestly think that we, residents of the Inner West Council, must have our voice heard once and for all, and this petition is our only tangible chance.

Please sign and circulate. Thanking you in advance,

Silvia Levame, Enmore, NSW, Australia