Some rules were not created for a pandemic.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
At a time when people across the world were being warned to not gather in groups to prevent the spread of coronavirus, the only way local councils could actually continue their business was just that - gathering in a group once a month.
NSW and South Australia quickly changed that rule last month, allowing councillors to attend the meeting via video link from the safety of isolation in their homes.
Victoria has been a little slower, but after weeks of pressure from councils and the Municipal Association of Victoria, that is set to change next week.
The state will hold a special sitting of Parliament on Thursday next week to deal with issues coming out of the pandemic response.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said on Wednesday he supported the idea of councillors meeting virtually, rather than gathering in person.
"That's obviously not conducive to stopping the spread of coronavirus," he said.
"It will be a quick session of Parliament, but a very important session of Parliament."
Indigo Council in Victoria's North East was among the first to not hold a meeting during the coronavirus pandemic, choosing last month to strictly follow social distancing recommendations.
"We don't want to hold things up, but we do have to respect people's rights to remain at home for the sake of their own health and to make it clear to the community that this is serious. These orders from the state and federal government apply to us all," mayor Jenny O'Connor said at the time.
Now the council is waiting to see what the legislation says before it works out if a virtual meeting is possible on the next scheduled date of April 28.
Oberon Council in NSW became one of the organisations to jump on the popular Zoom platform last month for its virtual meeting, while Lake Macquarie City Council chose to use Microsoft Teams.
Victoria's decision has been praised by Ballarat Mayor Ben Taylor, who told The Courier it was a move councils had wanted for some time.
"We're very pleased with this decision, it's something we've been calling out for... to have the opportunity to run our council meetings," he said.
