Council’s media policy defended

Southern Downs Mayor Vic Pennisi said the council's new media policy is about protecting councillors. Picture: SUPPLIED

By Dominique Tassell

Southern Downs Regional Council has passed a new media policy without full council support, prompting Mayor Vic Pennisi to defend the policy.

Mayor Pennisi says he has made it clear from the start of his term that he was going to “soften the policy on media for our councillors to be able to have that freedom (to speak to the media)”.

“I have no issues with councillors talking to the media,” he said.

Mayor Pennisi says the guidelines in the policy concerning councillors speaking on behalf of SDRC or themselves are there to help protect councillors if a complaint is brought against them by ensuring they have documented whether they are presenting their own personal view or the view of council.

He referenced a previous incident when he himself received a complaint because he was labelled as ‘Councillor Vic Pennisi’ on TV when speaking on his own behalf.

“We’re in a new (media environment) to what we were in even five years ago,” he said.

“Now I do say, if it’s my personal view, I will always say it.”

“Now whether the media record it or not, that’s another thing.

“So there’s a level of complexity that’s been handed down to us from above in relation to speaking to the media, and we need to get it right.”

Mayor Pennisi says that the current media policy is “about protecting Southern Downs Regional Council as well as councillors”.

“If a councillor comes to you, and I’m happy for them to talk to you, if they come to you and they write an article in the paper that has a crack at council or has a crack at our media officers or at the mayor or at the CEO or anybody, they will have breached the code of conduct,” he said.

“And I didn’t make the code of conduct.”

SDRC Communications Officer Danielle Cassels says that council has always had a media policy, and “it just evolves with the times and the approach that the council takes”.

Mayor Pennisi says that the new media policy improved on the old one, which was adopted in 2016.

He says the terminology “was conflicting in a couple of the paragraphs and that was what was different. And that was corrected.”

When comparing the new policy with the old one, there are some significant changes.

The scope of the policy has been expanded to further define council staff, and to apply to all parties whether at work or at home.

The policy has been expanded to include that council officers will “make a reasonable effort to diversify representation and include appropriate councillors”.

The ‘public comment by councillors’ section in the new policy has been altered to include that councillors should “identify whether a media outlet will make the distinction between a personal or professional opinion prior to the interview if they intend to speak from a stance other than Council”.

The section on public comment by staff has had the section restricting council staff’s spouses and close relatives from providing personal comment removed.

The new policy also states that SDRC branding should not be provided to a media outlet without prior approval, and has had a sentence calling for media to email through questions removed.

Councillors must now, wherever possible, notify the Media and Communications Coordinator and Officer(s) of interview requests received directly from the media, if the interview went ahead, and give a brief overview of the interview if undertaken.

SDRC Communications Officer Danielle Cassels says that this was added as a courtesy to “give (staff) a bit of a heads up so that if (councillors) come to us, then we know that that’s gone on in the background. That you’ve already spoken to councillor x, y, z”.

The policy features minor tweaks throughout, including the addition of phrasing such as ‘wherever possible’ and ‘as soon as possible’.

The policy has had entirely new sections added on media response during disaster management, video production, and emergency communications.

When the policy was passed in council on 23 June 2021, one councillor notably did not vote to pass it.

Councillor Cynthia McDonald said that while she believes “the intent of the policy has merit, as it’s attempting to ensure that there is a consistent message that is actually given by the council”, she could not support it.

Councillor McDonald said that the council was moving towards “democratic backsliding” as she believed the policy was removing councillors’ ability to speak freely, which could be seen as a possible effort to silence any dissent from within council.

Councillor McDonald said that she had previously gone to the CEO for advice before commenting to the media, and that every councillor would be responsible enough to do the same should they have questions that needed clarifying.

She also said that when in an interview, she did not know what questions were going to be posed and could therefore not possibly give 24 hours’ notice of them.

Given those points, Councillor McDonald said she would not be supporting the policy, believing it needed further work.

While Councillor McDonald opposed the policy, it was supported by the rest of council.

Councillor Ross Bartley said that he thought the intent of the policy was right. He said “if you read the purpose of the policy is designed to strengthen and build on council’s existing relationship with the media in aims to ensure consistency by councillors and staff dealing with the media on a day-to-day basis, and provide some guidelines for successful media relations”.

Councillors Cameron Gow, Stephen Tancred, and Marco Gliori suggested amending the policies to include the phrase “wherever possible” for consistency, with both Councillors Gow and Tancred stating they did not believe the policy contained anything prohibiting them from talking to the media.

Councillor Gow said that he shared all enquiries, from both the media and community with the CEO and mayor.

“I think that’s all we’re looking for from the media policy is the same as we treat with respect anyone in the community. Is that everyone is entitled to whatever information that they want within legislative bounds, and let’s make sure that everyone gets the same message so everyone’s on the same page,” Councillor Gow said.

Mayor Pennisi said that the policy was about ensuring a consistent message, and that he prioritises communicating with council staff already to ensure this.

“It’s about the organisation, it’s not about me. It’s not about us, it’s about the organisation.”

Councillor Tancred said that he thought council needed to give the policy “a chance to work”, and that if there were complaints they could review it down the track.

The motion was moved by Councillor Tancred, and seconded by Councillor Gale.

Councillor McDonald did not speak any further against the policy, saying she thought she’d said enough.