Bring it on.

Allowing the SCPA market to be a weekly event – with great flow on to local shops and businesses – has been caught in an old-school quagmire, snagged for months by the council hand-wringing and obfuscating.

First it was parking (that old chestnut), then damage to the grass (really?) and now it’s come down to raking through the minutiae of what stalls are going to be selling and whether a locally made cake is a local product or only a raw vegetable.

Council seem to be dancing like a bunch of cats on a hot tin roof to get out of approving a local market once a week.

That old bottom line, shop till you drop, mega mall good, small healthy is bad mentality seems to have a choke hold on some elected councillors.

What better way to build local farmers, local jobs, local produce availability and healthy food, free live music and much much more, not to mention enlivening Littleton Gardens by actually having something happen there. God forbid!

But maybe all the money council has spent on producing copious quantities of spin about fostering community doesn’t actually include building community.

The Bega Valley Shire Council will soon be opening its new chambers for business.

Its intent is to record council meetings and rebroadcast these over the internet. 

As a resident I am very concerned.

Storing a permanent record of council should be encouraged, but CCTV including audio to record public meetings that is then stored and rebroadcast on the internet should be discouraged as it may impede personal liberties and may be illegal.

You, as a member of the public, have attended council meetings to engage in a private conversation at council between yourself and the members present as defined under Listening Devices Act 1984 No 69.

So therefore is it illegal to record a conversation without the consent of all of the parties present?

Is it illegal to rebroadcast a person’s conversation without their permission?

Is it illegal to store this conversation?

If one person at the council meeting refuses permission, then no recording of that meeting can be made.

Unless of course council believes it can undertake this recording under the Telecommunications (interception) Act 1979?

Also I would like you all to reflect on this, how hard is it as a person of the community to stand in front of all your peers to debate a council proposal or a private planning permission?

How much harder would it be if you knew you were being broadcast live on the internet around the world?

Residents of Bega Valley Shire should demand clear policy on the recording of council meetings and the protection of our privacy at these public meetings.

My job requires much driving around the roads that have been under construction.

l would like to say l have been so impressed by the Platinum Traffic Control Services.  This team quickly and effectively resolved any confusion – and some drivers did have some at times. 

The controllers were cheerful, helpful and displayed a lot of patience! 

What l liked most and stood out was their teamwork and all displayed great skills in regard to appropriate “gestures” for directions. 

They obviously enjoy their jobs, which is nice to see.  Every one of them should get a pat on the back.