The Queensland Government has closed submissions for applications by local councils to de-amalgamate and return to previous local government boundries.

 

State Local Government Minister David Crisafulli said the submission process was critical to let communities have their say on the 2008 forced amalgamations.

 

"We have urged communities to put forward submissions based on what’s in their best interests now and in the future, and not just to try and right a wrong from the past," Mr Crisafulli said.

 

Mr Crisafulli will now assess each of the applications before deciding which will progress to Boundaries Commissioner Col Meng and Queensland Treasury Corp for closer analysis.

 

To progress to the next stage, the community needed to provide a strong, evidence-based, community-backed submission based on the pre-amalgamation local government boundaries.

 

The submission had to include a petition signed by at least 20 per cent of the voting population that showed an understanding of all the cost implications.

 

Petitioners needed to demonstrate an understanding that the former shire wishing to de-amalgamate would have to meet all costs involved, including their own, and those of the Council they wished to break away from.

If the Minister refers a proposal to the Commissioner, Mr Meng will provide a report including recommendations to the Minister by 28 November 2012.