Council embargo no

Ruapehu Bulletin, 7 September 1990, Page 2

Council embargo no

The possibility of placing a news embargo on the publication or broadcast of the minutes and agendas of the Ruapehu District Council was raised at last Friday's meeting in Taumarunui. The matter arose when a Taumarunui Councillor said he had heard a news item on King Country Radio that morning which seemed to indicate (to him) that items on Friday's order paper had already been ratified by full Council and had already been adopted by Council. Other Councillors who had not heard the broadcast were not clear as to how the news item was presented but felt that if it was merely to mention what items were to be discussed at the council meeting, that was a good thing because it would ensure public interest and participation in council deliberations. This would be denied if news about the agenda for forthcoming meetings were embargoed. However some councillors felt that while the media should be allowed to publish and broadcast items on the order paper they should not present the content, recommendations and resolutions prior to the meetings as if they had already been ratified, modified or rejected. General Manager, Cliff Houston however, felt it was important that these views of the various matters before council should be promulgated as widely as possible beforehand in order to canvass public opinion and get a public reaction.