Locals in New South Wales say the Nationals’ reluctance to question the LNP Government’s amalgamation plans devalues their coalition.

Twenty councils have already been merged, while a dozen more have begun to fight the policy in court. 

Save Gundagai Shire group coordinator John Knight says the appointment of unelected administrators to run amalgamated councils is akin to “ an undemocratic coup” .

 He said the community now looked to a “council in exile” for a voice on local issues. 

“We have no finance but it's a political body that will represent us and they will work to have the administrator and the general manager of the new entity do their job properly — which they're not," Mr Knight said.

Mr Knight said the Nationals had been forced to ignore their roots.

“The National Party has no choice but to bow out of the Coalition,” he said.

“They have no choice but to bring this government down, because this government has brought our communities down.

“They are illegitimate as far as we're concerned, they have no mandate.”

Meanwhile, reports say the NSW Government has spent close to $1 million defending itself against councils fighting amalgamations.