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Changes that reduce councillors’ access to information about Brisbane have been criticised as an attack on democracy.
Under laws passed by the Queensland government, Brisbane councillors can now only access documents deemed directly relevant to their ward.
The Lord Mayor is exempt, as are chairs when the information is relevant to their position.
Opposition councillors argue their constituents are affected by matters across the entire city, and the move is an attempt to reduce their capacity to hold the LNP administration to account.
Additional rules were later introduced limiting each councillor to only three questions on notice that are not about their ward.
Former independent senator Rex Patrick, an advocate for increased transparency in government across Australia, said as the representatives for ratepayers, councillors should be entitled to any information and documentation they believe necessary to carry out their duties.
“Information is the currency of power in any representative government,” Patrick told this masthead.
“It really is an attack on the way in which a democratic organisation works.”
In relation to questions on notice, he added: “Inquiry by councillors can often save significant amounts of money … it can expose circumstances where the council is not performing its function.
“To suggest that transparency and oversight is an unreasonable burden on a council simply misses the mark.”
Under questioning in the chamber, Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner revealed he had spoken to Brisbane City Council chief executive Kerrie Freeman about his wish to see the rules changed before she lodged a submission to the state government on the council’s behalf.
He said the rules being amended were introduced by the former Labor state government to give its party colleagues on council an advantage, and the recent changes were simply a return to a long-term status quo.
The LNP also argued opposition councillors still have more access to information than representatives at any other level of government.
“What we see here is the unwinding of Labor political interference …. they cooked up a political scheme to try and give Labor an advantage, it didn’t work,” he told the June meeting to jeers.
Opposition councillors were incensed by the revelation, with independent Nicole Johnston accusing the Lord Mayor of getting the chief executive to do his “dirty work.”
She told this masthead: “[This is a] drastic attempt to stop scrutiny, accountability and transparency of this tired, and out of touch LNP administration.
“It seems that the Lord Mayor whispered in the ear of the CEO to restrict councillors’ ability to gather information about key citywide issues.”
Following the criticism from non-LNP councillors, Freeman referred the process to the Crime and Corruption Commission. This does not mean she has acted improperly.
Labor leader Jared Cassidy unsuccessfully appealed for the opposition leader to be exempt from the state government changes.
“These … make it harder for elected councillors to access the information we need to scrutinise decisions on behalf of residents,” he said.
“The people of Brisbane deserve to know what’s happening in their city.”
He promised that if he led a future Labor administration, the changes to questions on notice – which do not require legislative amendments at the state level – would be overturned.
The Greens were also scathing of the decision.
“I think it’s just another way of keeping residents in the dark about the service that they’re cutting,” Paddington ward councillor Seal Chong Wah said.
She said the argument that this was a return to an accepted status quo did not hold water.
“I think it’s just deflecting, [Schrinner is] just trying to hide again … his shonky way of operating.”
Deputy mayor Fiona Cunningham dismissed concerns as “ridiculous” in a statement responding to the backlash from opposition councillors.
“Despite their whinging, the tired and lazy Labor opposition continues to enjoy better access to information than elected representatives at any other level of government,” she said.
Local Government Minister Ann Leahy said the legislative changes restricting access to documents would reduce bureaucracy and costs for ratepayers.
“We want councils to deliver the best outcomes for residents – not be tied up in unnecessary red tape and bureaucracy as they were under the former Labor government.
“This former Labor government change was identified by council staff as a significant administrative burden and was one of dozens of red tape reductions we have made saving Queensland councils millions of dollars.”
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