Civics and civility

Voting in local council elections closed at 6 pm on Friday October 25.

---

This week the Premier, Jacinta Allen announced a range of far reaching initiatives aimed at easing the housing crisis.

Less attention was paid to Local Government (Governance and Integrity) Amendment Regulations 2024 which passed the Parliament this week. The regulations are intended to ‘improve the performance and accountability’ of councillors. The regulations are written as prescriptions. They include requiring councillors, in taking the oath of office, to abide by a Model Code of Conduct. The Model Code of Conduct details the behaviours that are expected of a Councillor.

Here are just a few

2.    Behaviours

(1)  A Councillor must treat others, including other Councillors, members of Council staff and members of the public, with dignity, fairness, objectivity, courtesy and respect, including by—

(a)  not engaging in demeaning, abusive, obscene or threatening behaviour, including where the behaviour is of a sexual nature; and

(b)  not engaging in behaviour that intentionally causes or perpetuates stigma, stereotyping, prejudice or aggression against a person or class of persons.

No other level of government regulates behaviour to this extent.

Can civility be prescribed?

However, Local Government Victoria’s website lists nineteen councils (out of seventy nine) to which monitors have been appointed in recent years because of governance or councillor conduct issues.

---

Councillors are appropriately expected to show high standards of conduct but the behaviour of citizens/residents is a serious concern. Anyone who has attended a City of Port Phillip Council meeting would have observed intimidating behaviour by submitters.

Diane Kalen-Sukra is an experienced former Canadian municipal administrator. Over her time in that role she observed a marked increase in toxic behaviour.

She observes that incivility is leading to people not being willing to put their hand up for public office. It engenders distrust in our public institutions and in each other. Women and people from diverse backgrounds are more likely to experience incivility.

In her words, ‘incivility anywhere is a threat to civility everywhere’.

She is now dedicated to deliberately cultivating civility as a counter to incivility.

On October 11, Diane Kalen-Sukra hosted a Global Civility Summit. Tackling Toxicity, Cultivating Civility attended by 450 local government leaders from nine countries and hundreds of cities including Melbourne.

The results of a survey in preparation for the conference found

Disruption to Local Governance:

81% across the U.S., Canada, and Australia reported that incivility is disruptive or very disruptive to their ability to govern effectively and/or service delivery.

Civility in Local Governance: 72% of respondents rated the state of civility in their civic environments as challenged, poor, or very poor, with 81% in Australia, 74% in Canada, and 67% in the U.S. experiencing challenges with civility.

---

There is an ever growing mismatch between community expectations of what a council can do, and what they can actually do.

With the state government assuming more control over planning, Council’s role in this area will be further diminished.

Some incoming Councillors may chafe within the bounds of local government regulation. An effective Council will be one that works within the limits, and the possibilities, of what it can do.

And we, as local citizens, can cultivate civility.

---

Janet Bolitho was elected to the Sandridge Ward in Port Phillip in November 2004.

More

Election results will be declared on Friday 15 November

Diane Kalen-Sukra has written Save Your City: How Toxic Culture Kills Community & What to Do About It

Toxic culture is eroding our sense of belonging, community and well-being. Our capacity to collaborate and innovate together is also being undermined by the rising incivility and divisiveness. 
 
We need each other to address the complex challenges facing our cities and communities — from the infrastructure deficit to climate change, homelessness, mental health and addiction issues. In order to thrive, our local democracies depend on our ability to revive the art of living and working well together.