A move to change the way councils inform the community of development applications and other information, allowing them to remove public notices from regional newspapers, has been slammed by Port Stephens MP Kate Washington as a 'decision that betrays community trust'.
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Local government regulations that previously required NSW councils to advertise DAs, tenders and other public notices in local newspapers have now been amended, requiring councils to only put notices about their activities and decisions on their own websites.
Port Stephens Council welcomed the changes, saying information would be available on its website and in printed format in libraries across the LGA.
The council's communication manager Steve Beransconi stated the decision would allow the council to be more flexible in its response to the impacts of COVID-19.
"Council's executive team made the decision to ensure we are best placed to be as responsive to the impacts of COVID-19 as possible, both now and during the recovery phase," he said.
"Port Stephens is suffering the consequences of the COVID-19 crisis and we're doing everything possible to provide support and deliver services needed to protect community health and help keep communities running."
The Examiner approached the office of NSW Minister for Local Government Shelley Hancock, who announced the amendments last month, for comment and received the following response:
"Recent regulatory changes, which are at the discretion of councils to implement, ensure council resources continue to be focused on frontline COVID-19 response efforts. They also give councils the flexibility to adjust to rapidly shifting circumstances," she said.
The Examiner understands that the amendments are a permanent fixture, to stay in effect after the COVID-19 crisis ends.
Ms Washington raised concerns that cutting public notices from local papers would give councils a 'green light to be less transparent' while placing local media at risk.
"Port Stephens Council has rushed at the opportunity to take this backward step without consulting our community," she said.
"Council should take every opportunity to keep our community informed, not hide public notices on different pages of their website. This decision betrays community trust."
''Realistically, people young and old, won't go hunting for development applications and tenders... on a website."
Her concerns were echoed by Cr Giacomo Arnott, who branded the government decision as "heartless" and vowed to fight to have the council's decision overturned.
"We have a responsibility to do the right thing by the community," he said.
"At the next council meeting I'll be moving a notice of motion to restore these vital community information public notices.
"It would have been appropriate for councillors to have had a say on this for transparency, and so that the whole community could see where their representatives stand."
The Examiner contacted all 10 Port stephens councillors for their reaction to the changes in legislation.
Only four (including Cr Arnott) responded to our inquiries prior to publication deadline.
Cr Steve Tucker and John Nell both said they had concerns around the decision.
"I believe council should actually be doing more communication at this time rather than less," Cr Tucker said.
Mayor Ryan Palmer welcomed the legislative changes which he said would "allow councils to deliver DA notifications in a more modern and effective way".
He said the regulatory change during the COVID-19 pandemic would ensure that council resources continue to be focused on frontline response efforts and "allow us to provide financial relief to businesses and residents".
Cr Palmer added the cost savings would help deliver 'better outcomes for the community'.
He suggested those residents wanting to receive direct notification of DAs could 'register with council for it to be mailed and/or emailed out directly.
However Ms Washington said she was concerned of wider implications of transparency around the decision.
"I've written to the Minister raising my concerns, especially in light of the shocking decision made by Port Stephens Council," she said.
