The odds are firming that Port Stephens Council will reinstate webcasting at its meetings – with the idea gaining widespread support among mayoral candidates.
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While Labor made the pledge a month ago a majority of mayoral candidates have now roundly endorsed the move.
Ryan Palmer, Des Maslen, Cr Geoff Dingle and Cr Sally Dover all spoke in favour of it at a candidates forum in Nelson Bay on Tuesday night.
“They’re all on board with switching the web cams back on,” Tomaree Ratepayers and Residents Association vice president Dick Appleby said.
“If any of these candidates are elected we can expect to have that live broadcast reintroduced.”
TRRA convened the candidates forum at Nelson Bay Bowling Club with more than 200 people in attendance to not only hear from the mayoral candidates but the nominees for East ward councillors.
“We have really set the agenda for the reintroduction of the webcasts going back over a month now when we started to talk to the different candidates,” Mr Appleby said.
“The candidates were in furious agreement about the webcast [Tuesday] night.”
The Port Stephens Greens, who will not seek election, have also asked the question of council candidates, putting it at the top of its questionnaire to would-be councillors and mayors.
West Ward candidate Paul Le Mottee has responded that he would.
“Absolutely, I will support the re-introduction of webcasting,” he said.
Cr Le Mottee indicated that it hadn’t happened on legal grounds.
“I find it ridiculous that people have been using this matter as a tool to claim a lack of transparency when the reality is the former general manager [Peter Gesling], the current general manager [Wayne Wallis] and the governance officer [Tony Wickham] have consistently advised that the risk of webcasting and unauthorised recording of meetings is too great,” Cr Le Mottee responded to the questionnaire.
“Perhaps somebody in the next council might be bold enough to move a notice of motion to review council’s appetite for risk on a whole range of issues.”
A council spokesman said it’s a decision it would carefully consider in time.
"Whether or not to reinstate webcasting will ultimately be a decision for the newly elected council,” he said.
“They will need to weigh the risks and benefits of broadcasting council meetings and come to their own conclusion.
“Previously the general manager and governance manager had advised that the risk of breaching the Privacy Act or broadcasting defamatory statements was too great as councillors are not covered by parliamentary privilege like federal or state politicians."
