Chris Oldfield, Naracoorte Community News
The new Naracoorte Lucindale Council has voted 6-3 in favour of supporting this newspaper, The News.
Its decision follows a motion by Cr Cameron Grundy, seconded by Cr Trevor Rayner.
Voting in favour of the motion were Crs Abigail Goodman, Darrren Turner, Crash Downward, Peter Ireland, Cameron Grundy and Trevor Rayner.
Voting against were Crs Monique Crossling, Craig McGuire and Tom Dennis. Cr Damien Ross was absent.
Cr Grundy’s motion was listed in the December 22 agenda for discussion.
It called on the council to treat The News and another outlet identically, including all paid advertising, all media releases and all photo opportunities regarding news items and visitors.
The motion also says: “Furthermore, council representatives are required to respond to requests from media within 24 hours.”
In support of his motion Cr Grundy said: “If we were a public company, we would have an obligation to advertise in accordance with the maximum readership offering maximum value for our expenditure.
“I note the Commonwealth and State Governments advertise in The News. I guess because they consider it worth it based on the readership numbers,” he said.
“In the lead-up to the last election most candidates advertised in The News, while both mayoral candidates (Patrick Ross and Erika Vickery also) advertised in The News.
“I see this (motion) as a positive move for our council and for the community.”
Cr Grundy referred to comments by CEO Trevor Smart who made various claims about press releases, photos, and advertising and said they had “no implications for the meaning of this motion”.
Cr Craig McGuire said his comments were “quite personal, so it’s a personal opinion. I have put it together just on my feelings about why I am reluctant to accept that motion”.
“It’s just a personal opinion and there is (sic) a couple of motions in there that I would like, um, to foreshadow.”
Mayor Patrick Ross: “So you are representing your community with this, Cr McGuire?”
“Cr McGuire: “Um. Yeah. I think so. Some people in the community.”
Giving his “personal opinion” about The News, he described a meeting held two years ago in which options were discussed for going forward.
“In my opinion the meeting achieved very little,” said Cr McGuire, referring to one of the options that resulted – retaining the status quo. The council would continue “as it is” and The News would continue to report on meetings.
In the lead up to the election, Cr McGuire said he felt like he was “targeted” and referred to a series of columns published under the heading – A Country Mile.
The Country Mile columns were the author’s critique for each elected member’s performance as a councillor.
Cr McGuire made it clear he did not like the anonymous columns and cited parts of several columns about himself, Cr Scott McLachlan, Cr Damien Ross and former Mayor Erika Vickery.
“My fear is not what is written but what is left out,” he said.
After four minutes Mr Ross said: “Cr McGuire, if you would be so kind, you are allowed five minutes (to make) statements.”
Cr McGuire said: “Yep. I’m nearly there”, and spoke for a further two minutes, delivering his personal opinion about the Country Mile columns claiming they had affected him personally.
He said he always wanted the community “to see everything as I do” and indicated he supported the live streaming of meetings.
“My final concern, you were asked to commit to a communication policy that you hadn’t seen or even discussed,” said Cr McGuire regarding an invitation by The News for councillors to write their own columns.
The same open invitation was issued to all successful candidates who became elected members of councils at Kingston, Robe, Tatiara and Naracoorte Lucindale.
Cr McGuire alleged a link between candidates who agreed to write a column, and those who were preferenced in The News.
Cr McGuire said he would like “nothing more” than a relationship that worked for the whole community “but I cannot support it at the moment after the Country Mile’s (published column) comments. “I don’t appreciate personal opinions about myself, fellow councillors or staff.”
Cr Crossling alleged “all council press releases” had been going to The News, but later admitted “there was a time when they weren’t receiving them.”
Cr Crossling said she supported “everything Cr McGuire said” and claimed she too was “personally targeted” by the Country Mile columns.
Cr Crossling made several other allegations, including claims The News did not support community events, before stating she would support Cr McGuire, and not support Cr Grundy’s motion.
Cr Darren Turner said he wanted to support the motion.
“Putting all that aside with respect, the distribution of The News is much greater than the distribution of the (Naracoorte) Herald, (therefore) the readership is much greater.
“If the council does want to get a message out, and does truly believe in being transparent or doing a better job of communicating, then I think you’ve got to go with a medium that is actually getting to a wider audience.
“If we want to start building bridges…keeping the status quo is not going to get us anywhere.
“But putting all of the personal opinion aside, just from the council’s communication perspective, I think we need to be utilising a medium that is reaching more people.
“It’s no point pointing something in one particular medium where a small population reads you’ve done a good job.
“If you’re really representing the community you need to actually reach them the most effective way, and that’s why I support the motion.”
With no other speakers for or against, Mr Ross called for the vote which resulted in all new councillors as well as Crs grundy and Rayner supporting the motion.
This article appeared in the Naracoorte Community News.
