MidCoast Council media register plan shut down, for now.
A controversial new media register proposed by a MidCoast councillor has sparked backlash, with its opponents labelling it an invasion on the privacy of councillors and their families.
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A MidCoast councillor has lashed out a controversial proposal from a chamber colleague to force councillors and their partners to declare interests in their social and traditional media activities on a new register.
The ‘Media Disclosure’ motion, put forward at today’s MidCoast Council meeting by councillor Len Roberts, was quickly shutdown and will be referred to a council working party for consideration before coming back to the council at a later date.
It’s biggest opponent, Cr Peter Epov – who spoke strongly against it – labelled it an ‘invasion of civil liberties’ and an ‘incursion into the privacy of councillors, their partners and their families.’
“It we have registers for social media, than perhaps we need to have other registers as well,” he said, “such as councillors listing their political party affiliation, or their religion, or if a councillor has been disqualified from holding office.”
“Or perhaps we should have a register listing for a councillor who has ever been charged or found guilty of a crime?”
“This motion is an invasion into civil liberties, of not only councillors, but their partners and their families, it’s an incursion into the privacy of councillors, their partners and their families … it smacks of censorship through discrimination.”
Essentially, the motion put forward by Cr Roberts – which was not endorsed – outlines measures by which councillors must declare an interest in their social media activities, such as being an administrator of a Facebook page, or something as simple as speaking to a journalist.
The inclusion of a register, to be updated on an annual basis, would have required a change to the Council’s Code of Conduct.
Any new media interests, such as becoming an administrator of a social media site, would have had to have been declared on the register within a month of it taking place.
Cr Roberts said the Media Disclosure register was designed to create more transparency through accountability, as had been done at previous councils such as Maitland.
“If someone has a column in the paper, or has a regular broadcast on radio, than they would need to declare that on their register of interest,” he said.
“Back in the days of Great Lakes Council we had a councillor who ran their own newspaper. Now while that paper was informative, it was difficult to know if that paper was commenting as a councillor or was commenting as a newsworthy item.
“It’s important that we distinguish what one organisation or a councillor does, from what would be general or generic comment.”
Cr Roberts seemed to suggest that a register of this type could prevent an episode similar to the ‘Cash for Comments’ scandal that rocked talk back radio in Sydney.
“It’s like the so called Cash for Comments crisis,” he said.
“Radio journalists were making comments about certain products, and the audience did not know they were being paid for that comment.
“Now that’s slightly different from them endorsing it, to having been paid to endorse it.
“This [register] is about good governance, it is about clarity, it is about transparency. It’s about making councillors accountable for the comments that they may make.”
Cr Jan McWilliams said she was incredibly uncomfortable with the thought of signing a register knowing she had no media interests or declarations to make.
“This does not apply to me at all,” she said.
“For the last three years I have been hassled by MidCoast ABC, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Newcastle Herald, and my answer to them is ‘ring the mayor, I do not speak to media, I do not have a Facebook.’
“I do not go on social media, I don’t see how I should sign something that I am not included in.
“The only website I have is the council website.”
Cr Epov said councillors should not be beholden to a ‘Big Brother’ register.
“It is not illegal to speak to the media, it is not illegal to be on social media, so why do we need to have Big Brother looking over our shoulder and checking up on us?” he said.
“Aren’t councillors elected to represent the interests of the community and speak out when necessary or are we all now to become sales reps for the administration?
“do we need to create more red tape for councillor, and discourage others from running for council?
“Where does this nonsense stop.”
The matter will now be referred to the council’s working group for consideration at a future council meeting.