The Minister for Local Government Tim Bull yesterday announced that he has accepted the Sunbury out of Hume Panel report, which recommends the establishment of a new municipality, Sunbury City Council. Administrators and an interim chief executive officer will be appointed and in place by 1 July 2015 to establish and run the new council until the election of Councillors at the 2016 general council elections.
In accordance with the report, the Panel recommends the inclusion of the entire township of Diggers Rest be considered by the government at a future date , subject to residents of Diggers Rest being consulted on this matter, which might include a plebiscite of the community.
Although the township of Diggers Rest was not part of the initial ‘communities of interest’ the Consultative Committee did provide an opportunity for residents within the township of Diggers Rest to submit input to the process. It would appear from the report that both the Consultative Committee and the Government Panel have respected the views of residents who attended the listening post at Diggers Rest.
Jo Hagan, Liberal candidate for the new state seat of Sunbury said, “Following the establishment of the Sunbury City Council, and as recommended by the panel, at a future time the government will consult with and consider the inclusion of Diggers Rest”.
The Sunbury out of Hume Panel report is available at
http://www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/localgovernment/projects-and-programs/sunbury-out-of-hume