Councillor slams City of Stonnington’s move to gag debate

City of Stonnington councillor Alexander Lew has slammed his council’s proposed media policy that would ban its councillors from criticising staff.

The policy would also require any media statements to be consistent and “respect” the council’s position.

It will be voted on next week.

It comes after the City of Yarra attempted to institute their own media policy which would have prevented councillors from speaking to the media without approval of council staff.

“What they want to do is stop us being representatives of the community, and turn us into ambassadors for the public service and for the Greens,” he told Tom Elliott on 3AW Mornings.

“They want us to go out and promote council policy, which is dictated by left-wing councillors, Greens councillors, and career public servants who work with council.

“They just want us to go out there and pretend that’s what we think.

“That’s not why I ran for office, I ran for office to represent the community.”

Press PLAY to hear more from Cr Alexander Lew below  

Another City of Stonnington councillor, Marcia Griffin, said she was concerned by the proposed changes to the council’s media policy.

“To me, anything that curbs free speech and free media is an attack on democracy,” she told Tom Elliott on 3AW Mornings.

“So I am most concerned about this “.

Press PLAY to hear more from Cr Marcia Griffin below