Raterise

The Hon., Chris Minns,
Premier of New South Wales,
New South Wales Parliament,
6 Macquarie Street,
Sydney. NSW. 2000.

Dear Premier Minns,

Minister Hoenig responded to a recent petition requesting an administrator to redress the financial mismanagement of Upper Hunter Shire Council, by assuring signatories he would monitor Council and act when “necessary”. It is now necessary for the Labor government to appoint an administrator, take proper steps to redress Council’s financial mismanagement and prevent Council’s proposed 30% rate rise.

UHSC has a history of mismanaging public monies including:

• The failed Merriwa-Willow Tree Road;
• Failing to manage non-core functions designed to generate revenue and now all accumulating considerable debt such as the warbird museum, airport, saleyards, and Campbell’s Corner;
• Failing to produce testable business plans to manage the non-core projects accumulating debts;
• Placing the Shire into an operating deficit until 2032, with the real-time position demonstrating a growing deficit, and
• Failing to meet three of the key financial position measures, and all indicators demonstrating continued deterioration.

The planned 30% rate rise will result in an additional $2million in revenue for the Council, while just the failed warbird/airport and saleyard projects are accumulating debt of more than $2.1million annually and growing. Ratepayers should not have to pick up the tab for the Council’s financial mistakes on non-core functions, which were promised to deliver revenue and are now accumulating debt. An administrator is needed to correct the failing financial position of the Council and negate the impost of a 30% rate rise on residents.

I am a: RatepayerResidentBusiness OwnerFriend/family of resident/ratepayerOther

My personal position on this matter is:

Sincerely,