But she must be hard of hearing.

In a move squarely aimed at stemming the political blood loss, Ms Berijiklian this week struck a compromise position: forge ahead with council mergers in Sydney and give a reprieve to yet-to-be-merged bush councils.

The plan put electoral expediency ahead of natural justice, a hallmark of the Baird government.

It means councils surrounding the political fault line of Orange – namely Cabonne and Oberon – are spared while councils in safe seats, including many in the Riverina, are fed to the wolves.

Ms Berijiklian’s rationale, that it was a costly and logistical nightmare to de-merge amalgamated councils, is mere obfuscation.

The merged councils are still young and any meaningful efficiency savings have not yet been delivered.

The decision will do little to appease restless voters or to change the perception of a populist government making policy by polling figures.

In local communities like Gundagai, Tumbarumba and Tumut, public sentiment is running red hot against mergers.

At last year’s federal election, voters in those communities savaged the Coalition, despite mergers being a state issue.

If Ms Berijiklian thinks the passage of time will soothe that anger, she doesn’t understand bush communities.

Under her revised plan, councils that were locked in legal action against the mergers will be let off the hook.

This arbitrary line in the sand is particularly galling for Gundagai merger critics.

Gundagai was locked in a joint challenge in the Land and Environment Court with other dissenting councils but was forced to abandon it when the legal bills became insurmountable.

On this flimsy basis, Gundagai council has been consigned to history.

It’s a perversion of justice and a kick in the face for democracy.

It might not be apparent to those in Macquarie Street, but bush communities value their councils.

To strike councils from the map, especially financially stable ones that were told there would be no forced mergers, is a disgrace.

If this government has any decency left, it will cuts its losses and roll back mergers in the bush.