Brimbank council has deferred the endorsement of the draft Brimbank Governance Rules 2023 to a future council meeting to allow for further consideration.
Council was scheduled to adopt the new rules at the council meeting on August 22, but a motion moved by councillor Jasmine Ngyuen cited the need for further discussion to consider potential amendments to the rules.
“Having received feedback from the wider community … I do propose to councillors that there needs to be further consideration of the governance rules,” she said.
The proposed rules had undergone a three week period of community consultation with a majority of submissions received from residents referencing concerns about the introduction of rule 55.16. The rule allows the chair or a nominated council staff member to choose not to read out any part of a public question that is in the nature of a submission.
The submissions objected to the new rule particularly due to concerns about the censoring or editing of public questions.
Prior to the council meeting, council conducted a legal review of the rules, undertaken by Maddocks with updated wording changes to rule 55.16 which emphasised the intent of the rule was in the interest of maximising the number of questions that can be answered during the time allowed for Public Question Time.
