Great excitement was generated on 6 December last year when it was announced that the residents of the old Douglas Shire were to be given their chance, through a referendum, to decide whether they wanted to de-amalgamate or not from the apparently uncomfortable five-year marriage with Cairns Regional Council.

During his announcement, Local Government Minister David Crisafulli said “The Government has always been firm that despite the brutality of the forced amalgamations in 2008, we would prefer regional councils to work, but we’ve also said we’ll give communities the opportunity to vote where there’s a chance a viable council could be created."

It was at this moment that I, personally, went from the euphoria of getting the vote and a chance to get our 'Shire' back, to the despondency and realisation of how could we be a viable council.  After all the Queensland Treasury Corporation (QTC) had described us as 'highly unlikely' to be able to sustain a de-amalgamated council.

Now before you start throwing stones in this glass house, just take a second to reflect.  My fears arose because I knew that it was the QTC who had armed us with the information that Queensland State Government was an appalling $83 billion in debt and in deep 'do dos.'  

Hence we, the people, rallied the masses as had never been seen before in the history of Queensland and swept the Labor Party from power and installed Campbell Newman and his army of accountants to sort this mess out and pretty damn quick, if you don't mind!  

So why is it now that the QTC has suddenly become the 'devil incarnate', the deliverers of false information.  Call me names if you like but I think it could be because this time, it doesn't fit in with our plans.  We just want de-amalgamation at any cost and the devil take the high road!  We'll worry about affording it later!

I can think of several metaphors to drive this point home but in plain language 'You can't say the same experts are right on one hand and wrong on the other just because it doesn't suit the issue". That has consequences and worries me a lot.

My heart wants de-amalgamation, self-determination is surely a birth right, but then so is running headlong over a cliff if you happen to be born a Lemming.

If I only listen to my heart, are there any cliffs around?  Do I create a legacy for my children and my children’s children that is heading for the same disastrous end.  Are the scaremongers right, will we drown in a mountain of debt and have to be re-amalgamated with anyone, that will have us, but still have to pay everything off?  

Surely we know how many residents and property owners currently pay rates to get an income and how much money we need to run the standard services expected of a council to get a costs total?  

I've heard so many figures put forward from both sides that I've obviously asked a question that's as difficult as me asking my wife to win the lottery.  It doesn't seem too hard but somehow the odds are always stacked against me.

Will we end up too small to be noticed in the State and Federal Government funding lines?  Will we get a Mayor and four councillors who are up to the job or a repeat performance from the last time?

Will we be strong enough to maintain the Douglas planning scheme or will the developers have their evil way with us.  How will we fund future infra-structure projects from our existing rates income and before you all nod off to sleep, will our credit rating allow us to borrow any money to be able to manage our everyday duties?

I know all these questions have been asked but I don't remember in any of the debates and information supplied there being anything that even vaguely resembled an answer to alleviate my worries.

Both sides had their own answers but who do you believe?  So, do I follow my heart, hope that someone or something happens to conjure up enough money to sustain our self-determined future or do I play safe and stay with the big kids down the road? Either way there are consequences aren't there?

I didn't say I had an answer, I rather hoped you'd be listening to everything along the way and would have one for me!

I suppose therefore we're more or less back where we started aren't we, the answer is Yes but, No but, Yes but, No!