By Wollongong Lord Mayor Tania Brown

First published by WCC on Friday, 21 February 2025

Have you ever been to, or watched the livestream of a Wollongong City Council meeting?

It’s a great way to engage with local government and the decision-making process that we work through in this public forum for our community.

We always welcome community interest in our meetings and the opportunity to listen to the debates that happen on the floor of Council like when, on Monday night, Council considers a report detailing our submission to the NSW Government on the Draft Model Code of Meeting Practice.

This report is in response to the NSW Government’s request for feedback on an updated Draft Model Code of Meeting practice. This Code is essentially a directive from the NSW Government on how local council meetings should operate.

I know that not all local governments operate as effectively, efficiently and respectfully as Wollongong City Council. However, some of the proposed changes such as making everyone stand when the Mayor enters the chamber, are archaic and are taking us back in time.

We have an established and demonstrable commitment to sound meeting practices, and I believe the conduct of our council meetings uphold the standards expected of local government.

Certainly, of the 128 local councils operating across the state, there are some who might benefit from the guidelines within this draft Code. But what this document seeks to address isn’t evident in most councils.

I am concerned that if the proposals in the Draft Model Code of Meeting Practice and associated Discussion Paper are implemented – whether whole or in part – we may be required to make significant changes to the operation of council’s meetings and how we provide information to Councillors.

This, I believe, will be counter-productive and ultimately reduce transparency and efficient decision-making.

Notable these changes were not something requested by the Local Government sector. A dialogue on cost shifting and financial sustainability are far more pressing issues than these outdated measures.

At Wollongong we value transparency, and many of our residents are highly engaged in what we do. I believe our collaborative approach is the right step to ensuring Wollongong is an enviable place to live, work and play now and into the future.

If you’re interested in local government, now is a great time to get involved. Tune in, join us or follow Council on social media, and together we can ensure Wollongong is leading the way when it comes to civics and citizenship.