The drawn-out saga of Sunbury’s planned separation from Hume could be set to continue, with opposition leader Matthew Guy promising the town will get its own council under a Liberal government, regardless of the outcome of a current review.
Visiting the town with Western Metropolitan MP Bernie Finn, Mr Guy told Star Weekly that Sunbury would be granted its independence ‘‘just like the people voted for’’.
‘‘The work has been done,’’ Mr Guy said.
‘‘The previous government did all the financial modelling, we held the plebiscite, it just needs the bill to go through the parliament.’’
The promise comes as patience about the state government’s transition audit wears thin.
Auditors John Watson and Frank Vincent presented their report and recommendations to Local Government Minister Natalie Hutchins by the August 31 deadline.
The pair were appointed by the Labor government in March with a brief to review separation processes, after the former Liberal government gazetted formal notices that a new Sunbury council would start on July 1 this year.
The split was put on hold after Ms Hutchins said too many questions remained unanswered.
A compulsory and final vote on the matter is among options the auditors could recommend.
A government spokeswoman said it would make the report public ‘‘later this year’’. The government had previously promised that it would act quickly on the auditors’ recommendations.
Mr Guy, who met with members of the pro-split Sunbury Residents Association on Tuesday, said it was time for the uncertainty to end.
‘‘If Daniel Andrews won’t do it I will, because it is the right thing for the people of Sunbury and they voted for it.
‘‘We don’t need another vote.’’
A petition with 7000 signatures calling for a new vote was presented to parliament earlier this month.
At a public meeting in July, the auditors acknowledged the limitations of previous studies.
Mr Vincent also noted a “very significant” percentage of residents took part in the non-compulsory 2013 poll that paved the way for Sunbury’s separation.
‘‘The question becomes ‘What was it that they voted upon?’,’’ he said, reflecting on a perceived vagueness in the original question.
The auditors said the former Liberal government’s notices were ‘‘silent’’ on rates and service levels.
Visiting Sunbury last month, Mr Andrews rejected Liberal claims the audit process was a sham.
He said the government was serious about the review and had not gone in with a predetermined view.
Sunbury Labor MP Josh Bull said many people were still confused by the 2013 poll.
‘‘The only hoax in this whole process was how the Liberals actually conducted the vote,’’ Mr Bull said.
‘‘There was a total lack of information.’’
Sunbury train promise
Last week, Mr Guy also promised Sunbury Train Association members, who are fighting for the retention of access to V/Line trains, that he would reinstate any lost services.
He said commuters weren’t asking for special favours.
‘‘They’re just asking to use the services that already stop at this station,’’ Mr Guy said.
‘‘For the government to kick people off and start fining them, as they will start doing next year, is utterly ridiculous.’’
The government recently added extra Metro services, with a promise of more to come.
Transport Minister Jacinta Allan said: “On top of the 480 extra services the last Labor government delivered for Sunbury, we have added 10 extra metropolitan services since we came to office and are looking at adding even more with the next timetable change.
“I recently met with the Sunbury Train Association, support their passion for better services, and look forward to working with them to deliver better services for Sunbury.”
