City of Yarra move to prevent councillors from speaking out without proper approval

The City of Yarra have moved to update their media code of conduct by forcing councillors to go through an approval process before speaking on behalf of the council to the media.

It’s part of a process to ensure that the council has “one voice” and prevent “mixed messaging”.

“The point is I’m meant to be the primary spokesperson, and so councillors shouldn’t just be running off to the media whenever they like,” Yarra City Council Mayor Sophie Wade told Neil Mitchell on 3AW Mornings.

“We’ve got a kind of primary person who channels what the view of the whole council is.

“It’s really important that somebody’s speaking on behalf of the whole council.”

Neil Mitchell was immediately joined by Yarra City councillor Stephen Jolly after speaking to Cr Wade.

“I mean I think what people are talking about here is they’re looking for a central committee here, not a council,” he said.

“There’s different views on the council, and in a democracy there’s nothing wrong with all different views being heard and debated.

“But repressing minority views and saying you can only speak if you get the tick of approval from an unelected official — I’ve been elected five times to be the coucillor in Yarra.

“Who’s got the right, what unelected official at Richmond Town Hall can tell me ‘no, you can’t talk to Neil Mitchell’ or ‘you can’.

“I can’t believe that.”

The policy will be debated at council on Tuesday night.

Press PLAY to hear more from Cr Sophie Wade and Cr Stephen Jolly below

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