The referendum required a majority of all 10,396 registered voters to pass, rather than just a majority among those who turn out to vote.
The final count resulted in an overwhelming majoirty in favour of de-amalgamation, easily passing the 5,199 threshold on the first day of counting alone and a final yes result of 87.3% of the vote and 76.2% of all registered voters.
The amalgamation was strongly contested, with the local group Save Tumbarumba Shire lobbying to prevent the amalgamation from going ahead.[citation needed]
In 2020, Snowy Valleys Council put forward a formal de-amalgamation proposal. In 2021 that proposal was rejected by the then Minister for Local Government Shelley Hancock despite a report by the state's Boundaries Commission, commissioned by Hancock, endorsing a demerger.[2][3][4]
Change of government
At the 2023 New South Wales state election, Labor took a policy of allowing for LGAs involuntarily merged in 2016 to attempt de-amalgamation to the election.[citation needed] After the election, Labor formed government and Ron Hoenig became minister for local government.[5]
In May 2023, a new independent business case was commissioned by Snowy Valleys Council and undertaken by Professor Joseph Drew of the University of Newcastle.[6]
In May 2025, legislation establishing a new framework for de-amalgamation came into effect.[7]
If the referendum succeeds, Snowy Valleys will be the second New South Wales LGA involuntarily amalgamated in 2016 to de-amalgamate, following Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council who received the go-ahead in July 2025 when it was announced that it would return to Cootamundra Shire and Gundagai Shire.[22]
A $5 million grant from the NSW Government will be available to Snowy Valleys Council to cover the cost of the de-amalgamation process if it goes ahead, however this is to be given at the Minister's discretion and Hoenig has said he will make his decision after hearing business cases prepared by Council.[23]
According to SVC Mayor Cr. Julia Ham, the two new shires are planned to be declared by the Governor on 1 July 2027 with the current councillors to be appointed as administrators.[24]
Notes
↑Telephone assisted voting is available for those with low vision or blindness and typically runs 8:30am to 5:30pm during the pre-poll period and 8am to 1pm on Referendum Day.[9]
↑Hoenig declined to endorse a position on the referendum, saying "it's Snowy Valleys' vote", but said that if the referendum returned a "yes" vote he would ensure that the de-amalgamation goes ahead, as it is technically still at his discretion whether or not to proceed.[20]
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