Marion Council considering new media policy for councillors
New rules controlling how elected members communicate online and with the media could be introduced at Marion Council – despite one councillor slamming it as a “gag order”.
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Marion Council is considering introducing new rules controlling how its members communicate online and with media outlets.
Leading the push at this week’s meeting, Cr Matthew Shilling called for staff recommendations on a new protocol.
His motion – approved by a narrow majority – said the policy should cover “all aspects of media”.
This would mean introducing rules on how elected members communicated with news organisations and on social media.
At present, only council staff are currently bound by such a policy.
Cr Shilling said he had been approached by a resident wanting to know about Marion’s social media regulations following the furore earlier this year involving Onkaparinga councillor Sandra Brown, who shared racist material on Facebook.
He believed it would help the council resolve any code of conduct issues.
“It would make it a black and white situation,” Cr Shilling said.
“If someone breached the social media policy, it would be a breach of the code of conduct rather than the grey area it currently is.
“I am all for free speech and I don’t think it is going to gag us, I just think we need to control what comments are (made).”
But his comments provoked opposition, with Cr Bruce Hull describing it as a “gag order”.
“We elected members are not staff and we are expected by the people to have a point of view,” he said.
“We should be able to express our hopes and aspirations for the council.
“It worries me that the code of conduct comes up in this because, in other words, if you put something up that we don’t like or that might be perceived as not respectful, then we are up on a code of conduct just because we wanted to express a point of view.
“I find this an attempt to gag and it’s not appropriate in our society for elected members.”
Cr Ian Crossland opposed the idea too, arguing there was already a code of conduct that elected members had to obey.
“If we as elected members are not allowed to speak in favour or against unless the chief executive agrees to it, it seems completely the wrong way around,” he said.
However, Cr Jason Veliskou said he supported the introduction of a social media policy provided councillors were still allowed to post their views on community issues.
“We do need some direction about (how) to be critical of something that you don’t agree with in the right way and where it crosses the line,” he said.
Agreeing, Cr Maggie Duncan said an identical policy for staff and elected members would be “fair” and “equitable”.
A report will come back to the council with options for a media policy at its meeting on December 10.