Councillor’s push for transparency leads to unanimous vote on new process
A Mackay councillor has won support after arguing the way councillors are briefed on the major decisions which shape our region isn’t working.
A Mackay councillor has called for stronger processes to ensure elected members are fully briefed before making major decisions.
Councillor Namarca Corowa presented a notified motion to council this week in an effort to ensure high impact matters being decided by councillors considered all aspects, especially community sentiment, and any item requiring more detailed consideration were briefed or workshopped with councillors early in the process.
During the meeting Mr Corowa said as a first term councillor he had experienced complex information arriving late in the decision-making cycle without details on the impact the decisions would have on the community.
He said while this wasn’t intentional, it was a result of a system that leaned toward processes, compliance and time pressures.
“My motion has a simple intent,” he said.
“That high impact matters are visibly seen early when contests can shape decisions, when risks can be both recognised and humanised, and community sentiment can be both known and understood, and when councillors can ask better informed questions, not reactive ones.”
Mr Corowa said changes would give councillors a clearer footing and a shared starting point.
“I came into this role with a different upbringing and a world view different from every other person around this table,” he said.
“It’s not a barrier, it's a part of the strength of representative democracy.”
He said as a man who understood culture and community he saw his community differently.
“A clear pathway for early visibility gives councillors including those with different backgrounds and experiences such as mine the confidence and context needed to serve our community well,” he said.
He said making the right decision was important for good governance.
“But making the right decision without consideration to human impact is the wrong decision,” he added.
Mr Corowa said better collaboration and more transparency would help him and other councillors make better decisions for Mackay.
Councillor Anne Baker said she supported the motion and put forward an amendment that replaced the original wording with a requirement for officers to apply clear, simple triggers to identify medium or high-impact matters and escalate them to the CEO, who would then proactively inform councillors.
The amended motion was carried unanimously.
