Asking a straightforward question of the NSW Labor government gets you conflicting non-responses. Yay. What fun!
It might not matter with insignificant issues, but one would expect that regarding how local government functions, very clear language and objectives are essential.
It saves time asking more pesky questions and hopefully leads to a rainbow of governance riding on the back of unicorns.
The Model Meeting Code, which is a policy that outlines how Council meetings are run, is up for a review. Might not sound like much, but it is, dear reader.
That’s because there are suggestions in there which don’t have reasoning, or supporting information, as to how bizarre conclusions were reached.
To be fair, there’s lot of proposals tabled, and some look good.
But let’s take one suspect example – the NSW Minister for Local Government, Ron Hoenig (Labor), wants to remove the requirement for Council staff to prepare reports on councillors’ notices of motion.
Additionally, the financial implications of any motion should be removed, he says.
It does not say who recommended these radical changes in the draft Model Code Of Meeting Practice For Local Councils In NSW.
So The Echo asked the minister’s office who did.
A spokesperson told The Echo, ‘One of the intentions of the minister’s planned reforms to the Model Meeting Code is to remove the general manager from being enmeshed in the politics of the council decision making process’.
‘Several changes have been proposed, including the removal of the requirement for general managers to prepare reports on councillors’ notices of motion.
They added as way of ‘background’ that ‘general managers will still prepare a detailed meeting agenda, including staff reports for councillors’.
‘The amendments to the meeting code will prevent the general manager from having an obligation to consider, and form a view on, proposed notices of motion requiring the expenditure of funds.
‘It will still be the obligation of the mayor and councillors to consider whether they have enough information to make a decision on the notice of motion, or whether they should defer and request advice from the staff’.
So changes proposed by Minister Ron Hoenig are not based on any expert advice.
Another odd suggestion is that councillors stand when the mayor enters the room. Weird.
His changes to the Model Meeting Code are a concern that has been raised by the peak body representing local Councils, LGNSW.
Submissions on the code close on February 28.
Hans Lovejoy, editor
News tips are welcome: [email protected]
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
