ACCOUNTABILITY: Wollongong Shows The Way

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If you look over the horizon, pay attention to Local Govt. over there, you find all kinds of surprising things. Who would have thought that Woolongong might prove to be an exemplar of CIVIC ACCOUNTABILITY. If you have ever had anything to do with the city you would know that 'politically & socially' it is a very interesting place. 

Woolongong's population is culturally diverse and with a long history as one of Australia's premier industrial cities. So its not so surprising that the city's citizens demand the level of real accountability reflected on this page on the city's website. 

It is interesting to see that the city has set up multiple Reference and Advisory Groups and that their minutes are publicly available. This is diametrically opposed to the modus operandi that operates in the City of Launceston

In NSW "Section 355 Committees" handle a range of issues enabling Local Govt to be both more responsive to community needs and aspirations plus being more accountable. Albeit not a direct comparison Tasmania's Local Govt. Act and it Section 62, item 2 in particular, affords Council managements to operate in a paradigm of dubious accountability.

There is the basis here for a fruitful conversation IF anyone in Local Govt. is up for it as Tasmania Local Govt. Act is clear deficient in so many ways. The Act is broken and it does need fixing!

THE TEXT FROM THE GRAPHIC ABOVE

"Wollongong City Council supports a number of community Reference Groups and Advisory Committees as a means of engaging with the community

Reference Groups

Reference group members provide Council management with information, knowledge and advice on their specific area of interest or issue and group members should also represent the views of the community. A central focus of the reference groups is to provide input into Council’s Community Strategic Plan and other relevant Council policies.

Advisory Committees

Advisory Committee Members provide expert advice to Council management on their area of expertise, relative to the functions of the particular Committee.

Section 355 Committees

Section 355 Committees are delegated, by resolution of Council, to exercise particular functions of Council and to provide advice to Council management in relation to the functions of the particular Committee. These Committees have limited delegations granted to them by Council, which allows the Committee to make decisions on Council’s behalf, within the limits of those delegations.

For details of each group or committee, such as past meeting minutes, charters and contact details, select the group below.

Please note that minutes for upcoming meetings will be posted after each meeting. For details of upcoming meetings, please see the calendar of meetings webpage."