29/09/2025

Georges River Council is inviting community feedback on its draft Code of Meeting Practice, following the release of the 2025 Model Code of Meeting Practice for Local Councils in NSW by the Office of Local Government.
 
The updated Model Meeting Code introduces reforms to strengthen transparency and public access to council decision-making. Key changes include:

• Preventing councils from holding private councillor briefing sessions to discuss matters that should be considered in the public domain at committee and council meetings (unless they are confidential).

• Requiring council and committee meetings to be live streamed to give the community and media access to council decision making. Recordings of meetings must be published on the council’s website for the balance of the council term or for 12 months, whichever is the later date.

• Expanding the powers of the Mayor to remove councillors from meetings for acts of disorder.

Council’s draft Code of Meeting Practice is on public exhibition, providing the community with an opportunity to submit feedback through Your Say until Wednesday 5 November 2025.
 
Following consideration of community feedback, the final Code will be presented for adoption at the November Council meeting, with the new Code coming into effect on 1 January 2026.
 
Georges River Mayor Elise Borg said, “The draft Code of Meeting Practice reflects our commitment to transparent, accountable, and principled decision-making.
 
“I encourage members of the community to engage with the draft and provide feedback to ensure our processes continue to uphold the highest standards of governance.”
 
To learn more and provide feedback, visit Council’s Your Say webpage.