A REQUEST for all councillors to be kept informed of discussions in secret portfolio briefings opened a can of worms at this morning’s Redland City Council meeting.
Division 10 councillor Paul Bishop, who missed out on being given a portfolio to chair, asked the council to provide notes from the meetings, held behind closed doors, and dates of the meetings.
Cr Bishop said the information would allow all councillors to “opt in or out” of getting indepth details on issues in their electorate.
He said it would also rule out the six portfolio chairman “interpreting” information for the other five councillors who do not hold portfolio positions.
“Our community would expect all the councillors to have access to information at the time it is received by council,” he said.
But in a strange twist, debate on Cr Bishop’s plea for a more "democratic approach" was gagged by Division 6 councillor Julie Talty, who is the City Planning and Assessment portfolio chairman.
She said there was no need for change as all councillors got the same information as required under the charter for portfolio chairmen and the Local Government Act.
Cr Talty said the portfolio meetings were informal, not minuted and were not where directions or decisions were made.
She said the request was “foolish” and poorly worded and then launched into a tirade about Cr Bishop.
“He’s repeatedly tried to undermine the nature of the portfolio system … which has been democratically selected and supported by the majority of councillors,” Cr Talty said.
“I will not be black-mailed.
“I have absolutely no doubt that should this motion be defeated today, Cr Bishop will be on his social media site explaining to his bevy of adoring fans how terribly reasonable his request was and how terrible we are for refusing.”
After the meeting, Cr Talty said there was no gagging as the majority of councillors voted that no further discussion was necessary.
"These are not secret meetings, behind closed doors, they are casual briefings designed to add an extra layer of communication to that which is ordinarily available to councillors," she said.
Division 9 councillor Paul Gleeson, in Mackay for an LGAQ meeting with mayor Karen Williams said it was not necessary for councillors to receive any more information.
Cr Gleeson said Cr Bishop, who was chairman of the Arts portfolio, never shared information in the two years he held that position.
"Additionally, I never received any minutes or updates from his portfolio pre-meetings.
"Also, the last council operated under only four committee's with four committee chairpersons as opposed to this council's six portfolios with six portfolio spokespersons, which has increased inclusion," Cr Gleeson said.
Councillor Bishop said he had never been asked for information from Arts portfolio meetings.
Cr Bishop also said under the previous portfolio structure, there was no policy on information sharing.
