IT was a symbolic moment last December when Mildura’s elected councillors stood up for their right to free speech.
Council chambers fell silent when mayor Jason Modica called for a motion to adopt a new media policy that would effectively gag councillors from speaking out against council decisions or policies.
Councillors refused to support the draconian policy. They understood they must not be silenced from voicing their opinions, or publicly raising concerns on behalf of the community who voted them in.
Their stance was a win for local democracy.
Or so we thought.
Disappointingly, behind the scenes, it seems the fight to curb councillors from speaking to the media isn’t done with yet.
We’ve heard stories of some councillors being read sections of the Local Government Act and warned by senior council staff for speaking out on issues.
Then, last week, a letter was sent by the mayor to all councillors telling them to mind their tongues after a front-page article in this newspaper.
In the letter, which was leaked to Sunraysia Daily, Cr Modica wrote: “There is already a negative position directed towards council and we do not need to stoke the fires through ill-considered commentary that is not informed.”
So, what brought this on?
To put the mayor’s letter into context, it was sent after Cr Liam Wood told Sunraysia Daily urgent talks were needed to rectify concerns about the new $44 million Mildura sporting precinct.
Cr Wood, whose portfolio is recreation and events, called for council managers to meet the precinct’s main user groups after South Mildura Sporting Club said the basic needs of spectators were not being met.
Terrible, right? How dare a councillor publicly suggest that upset user groups and the council come together to address a community concern?
Read him the Act!
So what did Cr Wood say that was so ill-considered and ill-informed? And what “negative position” has been directed towards the council by us in the media? Should we ignore the concerns of user groups when they talk?
For the record, we have sent emails to the council’s media department and reached out to councillors, including Cr Modica, asking them to provide us more stories from council, because we are well aware of the good things they do in the community. But we rarely hear anything back.
So for the mayor to suggest Sunraysia Daily has a “negative position” is ill-informed. On the contrary, we should be on the same team here, wanting what is best for the community.
Rather than pen a letter that has clearly upset some fellow councillors (leaks don’t occur when people are happy), it would have been good to see the mayor take a leading stance on the sports precinct issue.
He could have been the one on the front page, saying: “We hear the concerns of the user groups, so let’s get together and talk.”
But he’s been publicly silent.
Like our federal and state members of parliament, the mayor’s role is one that needs to be held to public account.
We want to hear from him. And that doesn’t mean dull, scripted emailed responses to questions that have been ticked off by the council’s senior staff and media team. We want it to be his voice, ironically just like we heard when he was only a councillor.
I know Cr Modica to be a good bloke who is well liked in this community.
He is also an impressive public speaker, as evidenced by his performances during his federal election campaign and when speaking in community forums.
He needs to get back to doing what he does best – getting out and listening to what people are saying.
And then not being afraid to speak up on their behalf, even if it may not be what those inside the town hall want to hear.
Since that front page article, Sunraysia Daily understands the mayor and top council staff have met with South Mildura Sporting Club and held productive talks.
Credit to Cr Wood for being brave enough to “stoke the fires” and prompting action, for the danger of allowing anger to smoulder underneath is that eventually it will explode.
And if the “negative” media can help all parties arrive at a better outcome, then isn’t that ultimately a positive?
Shutting down free speech is something that other countries do. But not Australia. And, please, not Mildura.
We’re stronger than that.
