The Fourth Estate must return to its watchdog role in Council

Letter to the Editor,

Congratulations to The Beagle editor for advising readers of an alleged breach of Local Government election rules by a sitting councillor and candidate (Beagle 8 Nov).

Our community needs more investigative journalism like this in our Shire particularly relating to Council.

It is important that the media, including The Beagle, carry out their role as watchdogs at council meetings.

Many readers may remember my old friend Eric Wiseman who passed away recently, a journalist with the Bay Post/Moruya Examiner for decades. He attended just about every council meeting reporting on routine and controversial issues in the local press. Eric also attended many meetings ‘closed to the public’ and kept readers well informed while juggling the rules of defamation which some councillors were/are eager to apply. One could ask - what were they hiding?

The stories Eric told me over a coffee or a glass of wine about backroom council discussions were very entertaining as well as illuminating. There was the one about a stash of cash in a piano, long ago, and another about lands acquired at a song for unpaid rates.

After Eric retired, I don’t recall regular attendance by reporters for the print media. Fortunately, since its founding five years ago, The Beagle has reported on every meeting.

It has been more than apparent that the amount of debate in Council meetings has diminished. To the observer it is of concern that Councillors arrive at the meetings having already made up their minds on recommendations based on Council staff briefings and provided agenda reports.

Time and time again presentations by the public during Public Forum have little impact on decision making on the day and rarely are the questions and issues raised in these presentations discussed. Unless we had councillors particularly refer to earlier presentations the public would be none the wiser as this Council removed Live Streaming and recording of Public Forum and Public Access.

The General Manager might offer her assurities that the purpose of a Council briefing is to inform Councillors on business to be considered at an upcoming Council meeting and that Councillors must not use the briefing sessions to debate or make preliminary decisions on items of business they are being briefed on. The General Manager attempts to assure us that any debate and decision-making must be left to the formal Council meeting at which the item of business is to be considered.

But look at any Council meeting archive video and you will find debate is a rare occurrence as Councillors appear to skip through the agenda.

The media certainly won’t be permitted to attend ‘closed’ meetings, where real decisions often happen however, as in days of old with Eric Wiseman, the return of open workshops and committee meetings would place a watchdog in the room.

That’s why it’s important for the media, including The Beagle to continue as Fourth Estate watchdogs of council.

I must declare an interest here as I am a candidate in this election with A BETTER COUNCIL group, one of our policies is for an open informative council.

Vote wisely.

Gary Smith, Tuross Head