The Sunday Mail…pg 1.
THE forced merger of Queensland councils has turned out to be an expensive flop.
A Sunday Mail investigation has found councils have racked up record levels of debt while hitting residents with rates increases of up to 30 per cent since amalgamations three years ago.
And ratepayers are set to be smashed again, forced to pick up an enormous tab to scrap southeast Queensland's water retail companies.
Councils predict the cost of implementing Premier Anna Bligh's sudden backflip on water reforms could reach $300 million.
Most ratepayers believe the performance of their local council has deteriorated since the mergers, with total council debt tripling to $6 billion.
LNP leader Campbell Newman says he would consider allowing Noosa and Port Douglas to break away from their regional councils.
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