The decision to mandate the livestreaming of council meetings has divided the Riverina.
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Announced on Monday by local government minister Gabrielle Upton, the policy will be enforced over the next 12 months.
Since Cootamundra and Gundagai councils merged in 2016, meetings have been livestreamed.
“To begin with, some worried that it would hold them back, but I haven’t noticed any difference,” said mayor Abb McAlister.
“Where it’ll be difficult though is in those towns that share meetings in different places. It’s not a cheap system if you have to set it up in several places.”
Such is the situation for the Hilltops council, where meetings are alternated between the Young, Boorowa and Harden.
“It can be expensive, but with anything technological there are different ways to do it. I’d say ours is probably not the most high-tech, it’s a pretty simplified version,” said mayor Brian Ingram.
“I had reservations initially around conduct and privacy, but I’ve actually found it to be a good education tool to review the footage, and I’d even say it’s improved the overall behaviour in the chamber.”
Standing in stark contrast is the mayor of Lockhart Shire, Rodger Schirmer.
“I’m really not in favour of it being made compulsory. Council is not protected by parliamentary privilege,” he said.
Sometimes things are said that are not meant to besmirch a reputation, that are necessary to discussion, but without protection councillors may find themselves liable,” said mayor Schirmer.
Currently transcripts of each council meeting are made readily available to the public. Residents are also able to attend open meetings.
But mayor Schirmer believes the introduction of livestreaming will hinder this existing transparency.
“I think it will lead to more workshops being held to discuss matters privately, which will actually limit the democratic process in our towns.”
For Junee mayor Neil Smith, it is more a question of reliability than of democracy.
“Overall, on balance it’s probably a good thing for the public to see if their elect are acting as expected,” said mayor Smith.
“Technology so often fails though, if we’re supposed to livestream each week by law, and it suddenly goes down, will we find ourselves in hot water?”