Respectful debate needed in South Gippsland

SOUTH Gippsland Shire Councillors may engage in robust debate out of the public eye while arriving at decisions, but a pattern of mostly unanimous voting remains on show for those members of the community who attend monthly council meetings or tune into them online.

February’s meeting, the first for 2023, was no exception, although as Mayor Nathan Hersey pointed out many of the items addressed were administrative in nature and not controversial, such as councillor appointments to committees.

The meeting was characterised by positive speeches from councillors preceding unanimous votes on each agenda item, with all recommendations upheld without any opposition expressed publicly.

That has largely been the case since the inception of the current council, at least during the public section of council meetings.

Exceptions include differing views from councillors on whether to seal a new section of Gardner Lane Poowong, planned to divert public traffic away from the operations of the local abattoir, and a councillor opposing the recommendation to alter the opening prayer for council meetings to a non-denominational one.

Cr Hersey pointed out that there were two non-unanimous votes taken during the confidential section of Wednesday’s meeting and said that is not unusual.

He is adamant that while councillors have been well briefed on agenda items prior to public meetings, and extensive discussions have happened, decisions are not made beforehand.

“We’ve actually got a track record of split voting on multiple occasions throughout the last year,” Cr Hersey said.

“But at the same time, we have a group of councillors who engage extensively at briefing sessions.” 

The mayor said there have been a small number of occasions when recommendations before councillors were amended following issues raised in discussions, noting one recommendation was altered on the day of a council meeting after being included in its original form in the agenda.

Cr Hersey noted the briefing sessions are listed in the monthly meeting agendas.

“In those briefings there are opportunities for information to be provided which gives councillors a good understanding of what the topics are and how they should be addressed, and if that means it’s a unanimous decision that’s the outcome,” he said.

However, Cr Hersey acknowledged there is scope for more extensive discussion in the public section of council meetings.

“I agree to an extent that there could be more debate at South Gippsland and a lot of that comes down to councillors still finding their feet, but it will come with time,” he said.

“But because there’s not that over expressive and dismissive debate that occurs does not mean that councillors are not informed,” Cr Hersey added.

He said that has prompted some community members to wrongly perceive councillors are rubber stamping recommendations put forward by council staff.

“I must stress it’s only a small amount of people who say that, because the vast majority of people have really good feedback of the current council,” Cr Hersey said.

He outlined the collaborative approach councillors have determined to take in performing their duties.

“Part of our commitment to the community and to each other as councillors is that we don’t believe in having a process of blindsiding one another and of trying to make other councillors look stupid,” Cr Hersey said.

“That is a political play in a lot of councils which does create theatre and interest, but it isn’t good governance.

“So our councillors have determined to work collaboratively and to ensure if you’re going to make a change or recommend something be altered that it’s done in conjunction with other councillors.”