Twelve months ago, in an Australian first, the City of Botany Bay began to broadcast Council meetings and committee meetings live on the web via Webcast. Since the City of Botany Bay’s initiative, other Local Governments in Australia have followed suit.
“These broadcasts ushered in a new era of transparency in Local Government in Australia,” said Mayor of Botany Bay, Councillor Ron Hoenig. “This Council has always been an innovator and this latest initiative, which will ensure that our meetings are more open to our residents and our processes more transparent, maintains our philosophy of open communication with our residents.
“Apart from all Council meetings in the City of Botany Bay being live on the web so too are our committee meetings, where there is in depth discussion of new developments, new and existing services for residents and information on the running of this Council. Through these live webcasts, we have combined the traditions and values of the tier of government closest to the people with the most modern of communications.
“Internet use in Australia is among the highest rates in the world and our City has now used this growing avenue of communication to open up our deliberations to the widest possible audience.
“Whereas the public gallery in our Council Chamber can hold only a few, the World Wide Web is limitless. There are, I know, many people who would like to attend our meetings but, due to family and other commitments, they are unable to get to Council or committee meetings.
“Now, all they have to do is log onto the net, connect to our web site at www.botanybay.nsw.gov.au and click on the Council meeting webcast icon, and this Chamber will appear. Open communication with our residents has always been a hallmark of this Council and our webcast, while radical and innovative, is just an extension of our open communications activities.”
For further information contact Martin Perry, Botany Bay’s IT Manager, on (02) 9366 3666.
