Sunbury out of Hume: Group seeks swift action on report

The Sunbury Residents Association has called for the immediate release of the Sunbury out of Hume panel report so the town can divorce itself from Hume ‘‘as soon as possible’’.

Association president Bernie O’Farrell urged the state government and Local Government Minister Tim Bull “to act immediately and decisively”.

The report was due to be handed to Mr Bull last Monday.

“The minister must get on with business, set a timeline for secession and put in place measures to make it happen,” Mr O’Farrell said.

He said with Sunbury being the central town of a new state electorate, the Sunbury Residents Association would rank candidates at November’s state election “with a heavy weighting in favour of a [favourable] response to Sunbury out of Hume”.

Mr Bull said he would consider the panel’s recommendations and provide a government response “in the near future”.

“Under the terms of reference, written submissions or other supporting documentation provided to the panel must be available for public inspection, unless the panel specifically determines that the material is to remain confidential,” Mr Bull said.

“Submissions are expected to be made public after I have had the opportunity to consider and respond to the report.”

Mr O’Farrell said more than 60 submissions had been received by the panel.