City of Rockingham defends decision not to livestream Special Electors Meeting

The City of Rockingham has defended their decision not to livestream a Special Electors Meeting next month.

The meeting, triggered by a written request of 440 local electors, will discuss a range of motions including reinstating weekly red-lidded bin collection, an independent audit of the FOGO waste system, establishing a public transparency register for lobbyists and developers, implementing a mandatory Ratepayer Impact Statement for capital projects over $500,000 and creating a public accountability dashboard for tracking questions taken "on notice."

City of Rockingham Deputy Mayor Robert Schmidt said it is not a legislative requirement to livestream the meeting and it would cost thousands to install livestreaming equipment at the venue.

"The Local Government Amendment Act 2023 made it compulsory for Tier One and Tier Two local governments to livestream Council Meetings by 1 January 2025," Deputy Mayor Schmidt said.

"While the City of Rockingham commenced livestreaming its Council meetings in January 2022 there is no legislative requirement to livestream other meetings, including Special Electors Meetings.

"In this instance, the Special Electors Meeting is being held at the Gary Holland Centre to accommodate a larger number of attendees than can be accommodated at the City’s Administration Building.

"Livestreaming from this external venue would require the temporary installation of audio visual equipment, at an estimated cost of approximately $10,000."

Some residents have raised concerns about not being able to attend the meeting due to various reasons and that livestreaming it would offer more transparency.

"It's pretty obvious that a large part of the community would like to view this. How about doing the right thing and allowing it to be live streamed," one person commented on Mayor Lorna Buchan's Facebook post about the livestream.

Other locals have also questioned the cost of installing the temporary livestreaming equipment.

"10k to Livestream? I'll bring my phone, stand in the corner and Livestream to Facebook for 10 bucks and a can of red bull," another person commented.

The Special Electors Meeting will be held at 6pm on May 4 at the Gary Holland Community Centre.

The meeting is open to electors of the City of Rockingham District and only electors can vote.

Any motions passed at the electors meeting will be considered by Council at the next Ordinary Council Meeting.