2020-01-13 General Committee Agenda

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                                13 JANUARY 2020


Opposition:
o   The primary opposition to caps has related to their imposition on the freedom of political
    communication, with some arguing that candidates should be able to campaign in
    whatever manner they see fit (so long as they comply with other legal requirements).
    Concerns have also been raised that it is difficult to set realistic caps due to the changing
    costs of electioneering techniques, inflation, and potential exploitation of administrative
    loopholes; and
o   Caps can be hard to enforce.
Model Features and associated issues include:
o   The definition of electoral expenditure - what are primary campaign expenses, what types
    of expenses should be included or excluded;
o   The period of application - for how long do candidates, parties and third parties campaign
    for local government;
o   The level of campaign expenditure gaps for mayoral candidates, groups of candidates and
    political parties and third party groups - how much is being spent on campaigns and how
    does this vary, what factors should be used to determine variation in the applicable
    expenditure cap; and
o   Enforcement provisions - what penalties should apply, are any additional powers or
    supporting provisions required to aid the ECQ in monitoring and investigating the accuracy
    of reporting expenditure, what resources or training may need to be provided to candidates.

Previous Council Consideration
Ordinary Meeting Minutes, 15 August 2019, Item 4:
That Council note the report by the Chief Executive Officer to the Services & Organisation
Committee Meeting dated 6 August 2019 and:
A.     Note that our current governance arrangements are in accordance with the existing
       provisions of the Local Government Act;
B.     Note that the Local Government Electoral (Implementing Stage 2 of Belcarra) and Other
       Legislation Amendment Bill 2019 currently before State Parliament will introduce a range of
       changes impacting on Councils and Councillors and request the Chief Executive Officer to
       arrange for suitable training for Councillors on the new legislative provisions;
C.     Note that further legislative reforms are proposed by the State government in relation to the
       governance and electoral arrangements for local government but that no specific provisions
       have yet been provided by the State; and
D.     Request the Chief Executive Officer to monitor the further changes proposed by the State
       government as outlined in item C above, and once certainty has been provided by the
       State, provide advice to Council on any changes that will be required to Council’s
       governance arrangements.
Ordinary Meeting Minutes, 21 November 2019, Item 18:
That Council note the report by the Governance Advisor to the Services & Organisation
Committee Meeting dated 12 November 2019 and note that the Queensland Parliament passed
the Local Government Electoral (Implementing Stage 2 of Belcarra) and Other Legislation
Amendment Bill 2019 resulting in numerous changes impacting on Councils and Councillors as
outlined in this report.

Finance
Nil.




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