The City of Belmont council has voted against proposals to livestream agenda briefing forums and to keep members of the public off-camera during council meetings. The decisions were made at the May 26 meeting, where a revised livestreaming policy was considered.
Livestreaming Agenda Briefings Rejected
Councillor Jarod Harris proposed extending livestreaming to agenda briefing forums, arguing that these meetings are public and should be more accessible. He noted that the briefings allow residents to provide input and deputations, but unlike ordinary council meetings, they are not livestreamed. Harris stated, "This means the meetings are only accessible to those who can make it here on the night, which makes it less open than it could be." He also highlighted the lack of a full public record beyond written summaries, saying, "What is actually said in the meeting, whether it aligns with that written summary or not, is not recorded for posterity."
Councillor Christopher Kulczycki opposed the proposal, describing the briefings as internal working sessions rather than decision-making meetings. He said, "Agenda briefings are intended to provide elected members with the opportunity to receive information, seek clarification and to test issues prior to ordinary council meetings. It is not a meeting where decisions are made." Mayor Robert Rossi defended the current system, stating that transparency is achieved through livestreamed ordinary council meetings. The motion to livestream briefings was lost with a vote of 5 to 3.
Public Camera Proposal Also Defeated
A separate proposal to prevent members of the public from being shown on camera during question time was also defeated, with a vote of 6 to 2. During public question time, resident Lisa Hollands, a frequent speaker, requested not to be filmed but remained visible on camera. Councillor Harris argued that having the camera on the public was unnecessary and unfair, adding that the knowledge of being on YouTube for five years adds pressure to public speaking.
Under current state government rules, the public must be clearly audio-recorded but are not required to be video-recorded. The council also chose not to act on motions from last year's electors meeting that called for briefing sessions to be livestreamed and for the public to be excluded from camera recording.
