DEMOCRACY in Albury will enter a new age on Monday night.
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For the first time you will be able to watch a council meeting occurring in the Kiewa Street chambers without having to be there.
Thanks to digital streaming through the internet it won’t matter whether you are in a lounge room in Lavington, London or Lithuania you will be able to watch the debate.
The introduction of live streaming in Albury satisfies a goal of deputy mayor Amanda Cohn who has argued it makes it easier for ratepayers to monitor what is occurring within the council and aids those unable to attend meetings.
Of course Albury is the not the pioneer of webcasting in the Border and North East, Wangaratta and Alpine councils have had the system in place since last year.
But surprisingly this week, Albury’s twin city Wodonga opted not to pursue live streaming.
It was unexpected, because it went against the trend and followed an election campaign last year where candidates railed against the council’s lack of transparency.
New councillor Danny Lowe admitted he had “championed” the technology, while colleague Ron Mildren noted he had a platform of increased transparency and accountability on the hustings.
Generation Y councillor Kat Bennett, who uploads Facebook reports on council meetings, described it as the “hottest topic of the election”.
Yet despite that background only Cr Bennett and Liberal Democrat election candidate turned councillor Tim Quilty voted for streaming.
The bulk, including mayor Anna Speedie, surrendered to legal fears raised by a Perth law firm which suggested councillors could have personal assets put at risk through defamatory action.
Whether such a situation would come to bear is another matter, councillors do have qualified privilege which allows them to speak freely and publicly as long as it in good faith and without malice.
Yes there are legal hurdles for councils in live streaming, but on the flipside it helps ensure a more informed community that’s able to see exactly how democracy unfolds.
Given Wodonga Council’s reputation for secrecy there will be many unsurprised at its caution but considering other municipalities have been streaming for up to four years without incident, you have to question the merit of its decision.