Murray River Council has reaffirmed its advocacy for practical amendments to the revised Code of Meeting Practice under the Local Government Act 1993, following concerns about how the changes are affecting rural councils.
Through a Mayoral Minute, Council resolved to write to the NSW Government, members of the NSW Parliament and key local government stakeholders, seeking improvements to the updated meeting requirements.
Council echoed concerns raised by the Country Mayors Association, particularly around the prohibition of pre-meeting briefing sessions and significant restrictions on remote attendance.
Mayor, Cr John Harvie said the changes are creating unintended challenges for large rural councils that cover vast geographic areas.
"Murray River Council spans approximately 250 kilometres, meaning some councillors must travel several hours to attend meetings in Moama."
"A one-size-fits-all approach does not reflect the realities of rural governance and risks limiting participation, representation and effective decision-making," he said.
The issue became evident during an extraordinary Council meeting held in January, where a councillor representing Wakool Ward was unable to attend in person due to work commitments in Swan Hill.
Although the councillor was ready to participate via audio-visual link, the revised Code only permits remote attendance under limited circumstances such as illness, medical reasons or caring responsibilities. As these conditions were not met, the councillor was unable to participate in the meeting.
Council noted that such restrictions are less likely to affect metropolitan councils with smaller geographic areas, but can have significant impacts in rural regions.
As part of its advocacy, Council will write to the Minister for Local Government, Ron Hoenig, requesting practical amendments to better support rural councils. Correspondence will also be provided to local Member of Parliament Helen Dalton, Rick Firman, President of the Country Mayors Association, and Darcy Byrne, President of the NSW Local Government Association, seeking their support.
"Council is also closely monitoring the current motion of disallowance on the matter that is before the NSW Parliament and will continue advocating for changes that ensure the Code remains inclusive, practical and supportive of effective local decision-making across regional communities," Cr Harvie added.
