John Symond: Worried about the possible increase of rates. Credit:Louise Kennerley The council has enlisted almost a dozen local luminaries from sport, business, entertainment and fashion to help it counter any pro-amalgamation push emanating from Randwick and Waverley councils. The former Roosters captain, the comedian and the Aussie Home Loans boss are joined by the likes of Sass and Bide co-founder Sarah-Jane Clarke, Channel 7 commercial director Bruce McWilliam and developer Mark Moran in lending their support to Woollahra's anti-merger campaign. A council meeting attended by about 100 people on Tuesday night was told Woollahra was also hoping to secure the support of broadcaster Alan Jones. Mr Minichiello told Fairfax Media that areas "a little further out" like Watsons Bay or Vaucluse "could get forgotten about and get left behind" if Woollahra became part of a merged council.

Vince Sorrenti: Concerned about the impact on Woollahra's "identity" if forced to merge with neighbouring "economic basket cases". "That's what I'm hearing," he said. "I don't want that to happen; I'm moving in there soon." Mr Sorrenti, a long-time eastern suburbs resident, said amalgamations sounded good on paper, but in Woollahra's case it would mean higher council rates and poorer local representation. He singled out the impact on Woollahra's "identity" if forced to merge with neighbouring "economic basket cases" as his greatest concern. "You're losing a bit of identity.The people who live in Rose Bay or Edgecliff don't have the same needs and wants as the people living in Coogee or Randwick," Mr Sorrenti said.

"They have other considerations, they've got other problems. We don't have the tourism problems that they have. We don't have people occupying our beaches on New Year's Eve and Christmas Day and leaving tonnes of rubbish here and there. We don't have as many vagrancies." "You don't see people sleeping on the streets in Woollahra." Woollahra argues annual rates could rise by as much as 53 per cent if the council was forced to amalgamate – an issue that struck a chord with Mr Symond. "While I support less layers of government, if amalgamation means higher rates I am against it," he said. Randwick last week voted to pursue a merger with Waverley and Botany, rather than Woollahra. But the issue has sparked recent tensions between Waverley and Woollahra.

In a letter send last month to Waverley mayor Sally Betts, Woollahra's mayor Toni Zeltzer said the council would "wish you well" if Waverley sought to merge with Randwick, but requested "that you do not include Woollahra Council in any preferred option or alternative options you may be proposing". Cr Betts, who sent a letter in response last week, questioned Cr Zeltzer's claims that Woollahra residents would face steep rate rises under a merger and said Waverley had received advice that the three eastern suburbs councils would be better off if they combined. "Council will therefore be following the direction of the government to include various scenarios in our submission," Cr Betts wrote.