THE push for council mergers in NSW is part of a slow erosion of democratic values in Australia, Tumbarumba's mayor believes.
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Ian Chaffey slammed a plan to merge his council with Tumut when he spoke at a hearing before government-appointed delegate Rod Nockles on Thursday.
The Tumbarumba Bowling Club held over 300 people for the three-hour session which heard more than 60 speak against a merger with another 12 unable to talk due to a 5pm cut-off.
"Tumbarumba Shire people will not be sacrificed for an ideology that has no tangible benefits to the best performing rural council in NSW," Cr Chaffey said.
"In Australia regardless of our background we share a common bond, that is our belief in democracy and the rights of people to decide their collective future.
"These democratic rights and values were won at a huge cost but they are being slowly eroded by governments of all persuasions across Australia."
Tumbarumba Shire general manager Kay Whitehead said the council was found to be the top-performing rural council in NSW on the government's own measures and it appeared it was being punished for success.
She said Tumut's farmland rates were 30 per cent higher than Tumbarumba's and business rates were 20 per cent more.
Tumbarumba Foodworks supermarket owner Rod Gollan estimated he would lose $200,000 trade per annum through a merger, while milk vendor David De Abel predicted he would forego $75,000 in the first year of a union.
The Tumbarumba Liberal Party's Tony a'Beckett said his branch unanimously opposed a merger.
Local historian Ron Frew said the Bago Range between Tumbarumba and Tumut "is and remains a physical and sociological barrier".
Mr Nockles heard differences existed in police area commands, Aboriginal history, Catholic Church administration and geographical outlook.
"We belong to the Upper Murray, Tumut belongs to the Murrumbidgee," Ournie business operator Deidre Greenhalgh said.
"We have more in common with Corryong than Tumut."
Several speakers lamented the losses experience by Corryong when it was merged into the Tallangatta-based Towong Shire as part of council mergers in Victoria.
Tumbarumba Creek Caravan Park manager Peter Marshall said Tumut had different tourism interests and with job losses, higher rates and fewer services amalgamation would be dire.
"A merger will be the death of Tumbarumba, it will be a slow death from neglect," he said.
