Sunshine Coast Council meetings should be open to the public without the need to book ahead: Stuart Cumming

Councillors should experience the cheers and jeers of their constituents as they make important calls in the chamber, writes deputy editor Stuart Cumming.

Members of the public and journalists have been allowed back into Sunshine Coast Council meetings.

There is no better way to report on a local government meeting than to be in the room as it is happening, which is why access to Sunshine Coast Council chambers last Thursday was welcomed by our newsroom.

But there are a few concerning aspects about the tardiness of doors being opened and what a new approach will mean for big decisions.

A notification that members of the public and journalists would be allowed into the Caloundra chambers for the May meeting was long overdue.

Noosa councillors welcomed a live audience to their chambers in February.

At the Fraser Coast, space was set aside in Maryborough Town Hall so people could watch meetings in person throughout the second half of last year.

Meetings were then moved back to the council's chambers in Maryborough and Hervey Bay as coronavirus restrictions eased.

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Seating was set up in a reception room adjoining the Maryborough chambers and foyer of the Hervey Bay chamber for the public to sit and the meetings were displayed, live, on TV screens.

On one occasion there was only one member of the public at a meeting so they were invited to take a seat in the chamber.

Meanwhile, Moreton Bay Regional Council has been coaxing people to meetings since January by giving away packets of Tim Tams featuring berries grown in their region.

They were so keen on a live audience they put out a press release to give word of reopened doors the best chance of spreading.

Somerset Regional Council took a similar approach to Sunshine Coast Council last week by opening its chambers to visitors who applied to come in.

Somerset Deputy Mayor Helen Brieschke said it was unfortunate the public had been unable to attend meetings over the past year due to Covid-19 restrictions.

"Although we have had audio from all council meetings streamed live, it's not the same as having the public attend in person," Ms Brieschke said.

That sentiment is certainly shared by our newsroom.

But a major difference to the approach at the Sunshine Coast was Somerset meetings had been open to media throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, with no application necessary.

Sunshine Coast media organisations who checked the council's meeting agenda online last week found they could apply to be at last Thursday's meeting.

The Daily did but was told it would no longer be afforded a desk at which to work from.

Reporter Tegan Annett's assigned seat was in the back row of the public gallery.

Apart from a couple of council staff duty bound to be in the room, she was the only person there.

What it all boils down to is a lot of different approaches for the same pandemic.

Sunshine Coast Council's provision of livestream was a welcome measure when Covid-19 restrictions were at their peak.

We hope it continues.

But the council could and should have let at least reporters into the chambers much earlier than last week.

The decision to hold off has not been influenced by a higher level, according to the State Government, which has left councils to determine when they let people back in.

When asked by the Daily in December why it could not accommodate an audience in the chamber the council said it was not prepared to disregard its obligations to comply with necessary public health directions.

Fair enough, but it seems other councils have managed to get on top of their obligations a lot quicker.

Access to the chamber gives a reporter a better view of how councillors are interacting and a much better chance of asking them further questions should clarification be needed.

It is a higher level of transparency.

It will also be interesting to see how the registration process impacts one of the most important factors when a decision of great community interest is being made.

Having been in the room when Sekisui House's Yaroomba Beach and the Badderam Eco-Luxe Resort applications were approved, it is fair to say a crowd matters.

Councillors know they are addressing an important issue when the gallery is overflowing.

They should experience the cheers and jeers of their constituents as they make important calls.

They should revel in it and judging from some past speeches, most of them do.

But councillors will have shelter from that dynamic atmosphere under the new rules, making for a sterile chamber in more ways than one.

Originally published as Sunshine Coast Council meetings should be open to the public without the need to book ahead: Stuart Cumming