8 December 2025
A little-noticed motion passed by North Sydney Council tonight could sharply curb public debate on a proposed 55% rate rise to be considered early next year.
Councillors voted for a new meeting code of practice that would cap public participation at four speakers per motion, require registration by 10am on the day of the meeting, and oblige speakers to declare whether they are for or against an item. Members of the public would also be prevented from speaking on more than two motions per meeting.
If adopted, the code would substantially limit community input into the council’s renewed bid for a large rate increase, scheduled for January 19. The move contrasts starkly with a meeting last February at which an earlier 87% proposal drew hundreds of residents to the chamber, more than forty registrations to speak and over twenty actual speakers across nearly three hours.
Under the proposed settings, public debate on comparable items would be restricted to four speakers at three minutes each, reducing total public input to 12 minutes.
The code also empowers the council’s chief executive, Therese Cole, to refuse a registration from any member of the public seeking to address councillors, provided a written reason is given.
Several speakers including deputy mayor Cr MaryAnne Beregi said they disagreed with the constraints placed on public participation but that the Council was compelled to follow a model code of meeting practice mandated by the NSW Government.
However the specific clauses restricting public participation – namely 4.4 to 4.9 – do not appear in that NSW Government model, where the public forum section stops at 4.3.
Tonight’s meeting also appears likely to be the last general meeting until Monday 28 February, a gap of nearly 12 weeks. The extraordinary January 19 meeting will be confined to the rate-rise application, with no other business to be considered. A separate motion relating to management powers over the North Sydney Olympic Pool notes: “It is noted that there will be no formal meeting of Council up to 28 February 2026 due to the Christmas recess period.”
The changes would mark a departure from North Sydney Council’s longstanding argument that its fortnightly meeting schedule is essential for transparency and responsive decision making.
The January 19 meeting will depart from normal practice and separate the public forum from the meeting, as required by the new code. A motion also passed tonight proposes the public forum commence at 6pm and the actual meeting at 7pm. The proposed new restrictions on speakers would apply to this forum.
Interestingly, the scheduling of the forum for 6pm would serve to avoid a situation at the last meeting considering a rate rise – which didn’t start until 7pm – where members of the public held a rally on the steps of the Council which was televised live by the 6pm commercial news bulletins. By beginning the meeting at 6pm and requiring members of the public to be seated inside, this outcome can be avoided.
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From NORTH SYDNEY COUNCIL CODE OF MEETING PRACTICE Document:
4.4 To speak at a public forum, a person must first make an application to the Council in the approved form. Applications to speak at the public forum must be received by 10am on the day on which the public forum is to be held and must identify the item of business on the agenda of the Council meeting the person wishes to speak on, and where possible whether they wish to speak ‘for’ or ‘against’ the item.
4.5 A person may apply to speak on no more than two (2) items of business on the agenda of the Council meeting.
4.6 Legal representatives acting on behalf of others are not to be permitted to speak at a public forum unless they identify their status as a legal representative when applying to speak at the public forum.
4.7 The Chief Executive Officer or their delegate may refuse an application to speak at a public forum. The Chief Executive Officer or their delegate must give reasons in writing for a decision to refuse an application.
4.8 No more than four (4) speakers are to be permitted to speak on each item of business on the agenda for the Council meeting.
Full document: https://shorturl.at/Tg241
The NSW Government model: Model code of meeting practice for local councils in NSW