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City of Stirling investigates live streaming council meetings

Laura PondStirling Times

CITY of Stirling is investigating live streaming council meetings.

Councillors at the February 20 meeting unanimously supported Councillor Bianca Sandri’s motion for a report on the feasibility of live streaming.

The report will include cost implications, legal advice on possible privacy and legal risk issues and a timeline for implementation, and will be presented to a Community and Resources Committee meeting in the next six months.

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Cr Karen Caddy queried the need for legal advice given other councils live stream their meetings.

Corporate services director Ingrid Hawkins said the City had spoken to other councils using live streaming but still needed to obtain legal advice.

The City’s accompanying report said it would need to consider the “collection and disclosure of the public’s personal information”.

“With regards to legal risk, the City would need to consider any additional legal risk to councillors from remarks or comments made that could be perceived as libellous,” it said.

According to the report, it would also require about 40 staff hours to complete the investigation.

Other councils to live stream meetings are the cities of Vincent, Bunbury, Greater Geraldton and Joondalup, and Shire of Mundaring.

Local Government Minister David Templeman told Community News he believed live streaming meetings was “inevitable”.

“You can stream most things now; it’s not big technology, it’s not expensive technology,” he said.

“Will that improve transparency? Yes. Will it improve, perhaps, the behaviour of some councillors during council meetings? Probably yes too.”

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