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SHOWTIME:Children and parents alike will today be enjoying the hospitality,laughter, atmosphere and great memories that are only associated with theMount Gambier Spring Show. Thousands of people are expected through thegates for the main show day tomorrow, with the Saturday night fireworks toagain be one of the highlights of the event. Jenna Male, Harry Brooks and JadeMusolino (pictured) love riding the teacups and are excited about the opportunityto try some new sideshows today. Picture: SAM DOWDY

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A STATE Governments revela-tion on Wednesday night thatthe decision has been made andthe forward sale of ForestrySAplantation rotations will go aheadhas caused outcry amongst localcouncil leaders and stakehold-ers, with claims the governmentmisled the public for over twoyears and disregarded the impactthe sale would have on South Eastcommunities.

Forestry Minister MichaelOBrien faced a room of angrystakeholders on Wednesdaynight in Mount Gambier as heanswered questions to clarifydetails of the sale of $2.8b worthof timber assets.

Mr OBrien told The BorderWatch in a media conference fol-lowing the meeting that the StateGovernment had made a decisionand it was up to the communityto prepare for the change.

The State Government hasmade a decision and some peoplemay be unhappy with it, but thedecision has been made, which isgoing to drive change you caneither sit back and be passive orsay things are changing and mapout the future, he said.

The revenue raised from thesale would be used to relieve thestates significant debt, accordingto Mr OBrien.

The money will retire debt as

the credit rating agencies wantus to move out of deficit to retainour AAA credit rating the deficitis a result of the GFC (GlobalFinancial Crisis), he said.

An emotional Grant DistrictMayor Richard Sage vowed afterthe meeting that his and othercouncils of the region would notaccept the governments shockannouncement.

The information that they gaveus in the meeting that the decisionhad already been made in 2008was a shock it is unbelievablethat no consultation has been hadwith stakeholders and communityand that an impact statement isnowhere to be found, he said.

The State Government has notthought beyond the cash grab this is a community asset thatwas put there in the 1900s to growthe region, yet the government

has now decided they need tobalance their books at the costof thousands of local jobs.

Continued page 6

Local leaders claim state misled region

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