INDIGO councillors have played down the prospect of fines ever being imposed on misbehaving ratepayers at meetings.
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The shire is reviewing its local laws surrounding the conduct of meetings, which include $750 infringements for various acts of improper or disorderly behaviour.
Mayor James Trenery said on Wednesday he believed the rules were aimed more at elected officials than onlookers.
“It’s mainly directed towards the behaviour of councillors rather than the gallery,” Cr Trenery said.
“Personally I’m all for councillors behaving in an appropriate way and not being aggressive.”
Fine magnets include objects and material that is deemed “objectionable or disrespectful” and the display of “placards, posters or other material” at meetings.
Members of the public who “interject or take part in the meeting” risk a $750 fine and the same punishment applies to councillors, staff or gallery members making offensive comments.
Indigo deputy mayor Peter Croucher, who is retiring at October’s election, said the penalties were unlikely to be enforced on gallery members.
“We’ve never had to use them and I don’t think we’ve been close to using them,” Cr Croucher said.
“People shouldn’t have to worry at all.
“They are there as a safeguard and never in my eight years have we had to use them at all.”
Similar penalties have been in place at Wangaratta Council for several years, predating the dismissal of elected representatives and their replacement with administrators.
Likewise Wodonga Council has penalties but both cities have never issued fines.
“The council relies on the goodwill of both councillors and members of the community who attend council meetings and has not had cause to issue penalties in the lifetime of this local law,” a Wodonga Council spokeswoman said.
Albury Council meetings in the late 1990s were disrupted by freeway protesters who bore placards.
There is no particular law against placards but under the city’s meeting procedures on public gallery conduct “items which could cause discomfort or harm to councillors, council staff or other members of the public are not permitted”.
There are no fines in Albury for misconduct by the public gallery at meetings but observers are expected to follow several guidelines.
They include not speaking to councillors or handing them notes.
Onlookers are advised not to “interrupt meeting procedures or engage in disorderly
conduct” at meetings.
Police were called to a council meeting in 1998 over freeway protests.
