BLAND Shire mayor Neil Pokoney has slammed consultation between the council and Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) over a proposal to rename the Mid Western Highway.
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Councillor Pokoney has labelled the discussions over the idea to rename the road to the Wiradjuri Highway as an "absolute joke".
"You could not interpret the discussion that was held in regards to this as any sort of consultation," he said.
The proposal is viewed by Cr Pokoney and some of his colleagues as a waste of money.
A $4 million price tag on the proposal has been floated, though Cr Pokoney admitted he was unsure of the accuracy of that figure.
"I'm not absolutely sure that's a figure that hasn't been plucked out of thin air," he said.
Rather than re-name the highway, Cr Pokoney would rather see billboards erected at the side of the Mid Western Highway to educate motorists about the Wiradjuri nation and its customs.
"Such a thing wouldn't require Geographical Names Board changes or maps to be changed," he said.
"At the end of the day by investing in infrastructure that promotes the Wiradjuri nation along the Mid Western (Highway), that may be a more effective investment."
Views among the region's other councils are mixed - last month, Carrathool mayor Peter Laird said a name change would be confusing for motorists, but his Wagga counterpart Rod Kendall believed the change should be given the green light.
