Noosa Council set to live-stream meetings

Debates and decision-making undertaken by Noosa Council look set to be live-streamed to the masses.

GOING LIVE: Noosa Council looks set to live-stream its meetings. Picture: Alan Lander

DEBATES and decision-making undertaken by Noosa Council look set to be live-streamed to the masses.

Councillors were poised today to vote in favour of live video streaming of council meetings, after a long push from Cr Ingrid Jackson for greater transparency in decision making.

Councillors unanimously agreed in a recent committee meeting to support the push, which would result in about $2100 worth of video and audio equipment used to live-stream council ordinary meetings and general committee meetings.

A report will be produced after six months reviewing the technology to determine whether to further extend the live-streaming into the committee room and/or other committees.

Cr Jackson said the live-stream could go direct to a YouTube channel and, if all went well, would be operating by January or February next year.

There had been some issue over the cameras and the identification of council officers, but Cr Jackson said they were already often identified in reports and presentations.

She said an agreement had been met to make sure the cameras wouldn't focus on officers' faces who were presenting reports.

"This actually allows people to see how councillors deliberate and how they debate.

"People are a bit careful and not as likely to be defamatory when on camera."

Cr Jackson admitted it would not be prime-time viewing, but on the bigger issues, expected plenty of people to be tuning in.

She said it also gave councillors an opportunity to hear from the community between a debate and decision, if viewers felt strongly about an issue to be decided.

A Sunshine Coast Council spokeswoman said council had given some initial consideration to live streaming statutory meetings but had not made a determination yet.