Albany council passes motion reiterating position on “efficient” public question time in meetings

The City of Albany council has passed a motion aimed at the public to prevent “ideology from far-flung places” and “beginnings of political campaigns” at its meetings, and to improve efficiency. The motion, which was put forward by Cr Robert Sutton at the council’s meeting on Tuesday, includes limiting public question time to 30 minutes (unless granted an extension), limiting repetitive speeches and prioritising people who pre-register. Cr Sutton said advertising the position was to reassure both the council and the public that “there is going to be some organisation” in public question time, allowing a more “level playing field” for a wider variety of speakers talking on relevant business. “The chair, the mayor, has got an option to balance the argument, to listen to people that want to talk on the agenda items, as opposed to ideology or the beginning of a political campaign, as we’ve seen in the last couple of months,” he said. “That’s not what we’re here for. “We’re here to listen to people’s concerns about development and policies, not about ideologies that are in far-flung places. “That’s fine to have those, but we don’t need to listen to them in council time, and that’s why Statewide 30 minutes is the norm.” Public question time is the window granted to the public to present issues to councillors before they start conducting official business. At Tuesday’s public question time, five of 14 speakers discussed the alleged DNA contamination of COVID-19 vaccines, urging the council to follow in the steps of Port Hedland council who passed a motion calling for suspension of their use earlier this year. Residents Don Phillips and Roland Paver both spoke against the motion in public question time, stating it jeopardised freedom of speech and “eroded” democracy. Cr Malcolm Traill said councillors can be contacted via many avenues regarding residents problems but efficiency in conducting the later business of council needs to be prioritised to prevent meetings being pushed late into the night. “We’re a big group, a big city, a growing city, and to actually have public question time clogged up with repetition, with innuendo, with inappropriate comments — which I think we possibly have seen over the last few months — actually works against efficiency,” he said. When asked by Cr Lynn MacLaren if the motion changed anything in the standing orders — the policy that governs that conduct of elected members and the public at the council — mayor Greg Stocks said though it did not, it provided “some expectation” and “clarity” to the public on how the agenda will be organised in the future. Other features of the motion included adding a summary of questions raised during public question time and their subsequent answers to the minutes but not including any documents that may have been tabled. The motion was carried unanimously.