Close Menu
  • Bayside News Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Read Our Newspapers Online
    • Read the Latest Western Port News
    • Read the Latest Mornington News
    • Read the Latest Southern Peninsula News
    • Read the Latest Frankston Times
    • Read the Latest Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Friday, June 13
Facebook X (Twitter)
Bayside News
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Police investigate Bonbeach collision
Breaking News
Bayside News
Home»Council Watch»Public to be filmed at council meetings
Council Watch

Public to be filmed at council meetings

Neil WalkerBy Neil Walker6 June 2018No Comments2 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

PEOPLE attending Kingston Council meetings will be filmed in future after some councillors voiced safety concerns in the wake of “disgraceful behaviour” at some meetings last year.

Pointing a CCTV camera at the public gallery section of the council chamber during meetings was suggested at the latest council meeting on 28 May by Cr Georgina Oxley.

Councillors unanimously backed the proposal.

“There have been complaints that people who have attended have not felt safe in our gallery,” Cr Oxley said.

“I think there’s been a number of altercations where people have felt quite threatened in our public gallery.”

The South Ward councillor said she had felt threatened at a meeting last year.

“There was an altercation even with myself where I was threatened by a member of the gallery,” Cr Oxley said.

Cr Tamara Barth said people expected to be filmed going about their day every day anyway.

“Ordinary people operating in society have an expectation that they will be filmed, whether it’s using an ATM, crossing a busy road or going into certain luxury shops and banks,” she said.

“There are probably multiple times a day we’re recording going about our business and that’s fine.”

Cr Tamsin Bearsley said she was comfortable backing the CCTV camera being pointed at the public gallery since the footage would not be publicly viewable or accessible.

Cr Bearsley said “the sound quality is unlikely to capture individual conversations” and only law enforcement agencies would be granted access to footage if necessary.

Cr Geoff Gledhill said no-one had complained to him about feeling threatened but he also supported the filming of the public gallery.

“We are all used to CCTV and being filmed,” he said.

Cr Rosemary West noted there had been heated arguments during debates last year at council meetings about building the final part of the cycling and walking Bay Trail from Mentone to Mordialloc.

“There was some disgraceful behaviour in the gallery last year,” she said.

Cr West also noted councillors’ conduct had improved since council started streaming video of meetings live online with archived footage of public meetings available to view on council’s website.

First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 6 June 2018

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
Neil Walker

Related Posts

Stood down councillor not subject to code of conduct

23 April 2025

Cash bounty to catch vandals

8 April 2025

Council budget in the works

16 January 2025
Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

Peninsula Essence Magazine

Click Here to Read

3 June 2025
Peninsula Kids Magazine

Click Here to Read

3 June 2025
Property of the Week

34 Pine Hill Drive, Frankston

21 March 2025
Council Watch

Stood down councillor not subject to code of conduct

23 April 2025

Cash bounty to catch vandals

8 April 2025
100 Years Ago this Week

A Costly Joy Ride that ended in the lock-up

10 June 2025
Interviews

Writing racecourse history

6 February 2024
Contact

Street: 1/15 Wallis Drive, Hastings, 3915
Mailing: PO Box 588, Hastings, 3915

Menu
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Police investigate Bonbeach collision
About

Established in 2006, Mornington Peninsula News Group (MPNG) is a locally owned and operated, independent media company.

MPNG publishes five weekly community newspapers: the Western Port News, Mornington News, Southern Peninsula News, Frankston Times and Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News.

MPNG also publishes two glossy magazines: Peninsula Essence and Peninsula Kids.

Facebook X (Twitter)
© 2025 Mornington Peninsula News Group.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.