The state government has been putting out spot fires across the state, feeling the heat from unpopular calls on forced council amalgamations and greyhound bans.

As the government looks to perform hazard reduction burns to help reduce the political risk tied to their unpopular decisions with an election only two years away, the heat from regional NSW continues to rise. The rejigged cabinet has pledged to give more attention to regional NSW, signalled with a funding commitment for Tamworth’s Northern Inland Sporting Centre of Excellence and the Deputy Premier vowing to douse council mergers in the bush.

The strong statement by the NSW Nationals leader has been watered down.

John Barilaro said he was happy to intervene and stop the forced amalgamations for the councils fighting the decision in the courts - but for those already merged he said, "the worst thing I can do is unscramble that egg".

But the fire rages on in our community, which has been under the administration of the amalgamated Armidale Regional Council for nine months.

Our community was sparked into action and now we are rallying with renewed vigour. News from Macquarie Street revealed the government was considering taking the merger decision back to the people with a plebiscite.

Plenty of people in Guyra know we are already one step ahead of the government, with a petition that has been circulating for several weeks.

Elsewhere in the New England, former Walcha mayor Janelle Archdale said the plebiscite would be an expensive way for the government to find out what they already know.

She said the anti-merger message was as clear as it was 12 months ago.

While plebiscites on mergers would give the government a quantifiable answer, the government couldn’t unscramble every amalgamated egg after a five year Fit for the Future reform process to get to this point.

If unpicking mergers is on the agenda, it was only the stroke of pen of the Local Government Minister that brought together council’s across the state, why can't it be undone with the stroke of a new minister's pen? Why should it take the stroke of hundreds and thousands of pens in an expensive, non-binding opinion poll?