Under New Rules, Sydneysiders Will No Longer Be Able To Speak At Council Meetings

New South Wales residents will face a new way of engaging with local democracy this year, with councils required to separate public submissions from the formal council meeting process. Under the updated Model Code of Meeting Practice, people living in all 128 council areas — including Sydney — will no longer be able to address councillors during meetings themselves, and will instead need to present their views at dedicated public forums held in advance, typically a week before items are debated and put to a vote.

The Minns government says the reforms are about making meetings more orderly and efficient. Public forums for community input will still be possible, but the spontaneous remarks that have long been a feature of council chambers — where residents could rise to speak on the night — will be removed from the meeting floor. Councils will also adopt new rules banning protest signs in chambers, tightening rules around councillors attending by audiovisual link, and preventing private briefings between councillors and staff on matters listed for decision.

Local Government Minister Ron Hoenig has argued the changes will help councillors focus on decision-making without meetings being disrupted.

But the overhaul has drawn criticism from across the political spectrum and from community advocates who say it could weaken how local voices are heard in the places where they matter most.

Greens spokesperson for Local Government, Dr Amanda Cohn, described the shift in State Parliament as one that risks diminishing residents’ connection to the people elected to represent them. During debates in the Legislative Council, she emphasised that democratic engagement must be more than a procedural box-tick, but something that allows communities real moments to be heard.

“We should be supporting mechanisms that enable our communities to participate meaningfully in local government decision-making,” Dr Cohn told MPs, stressing reforms should enhance not restrict democratic engagement at the grassroots level.

Dr Cohn moved a disallowance motion against the updated code, arguing the changes would effectively separate community voices from councillors at the very moment votes are cast — the point at which local people most need to see their representatives respond in real time.

Under the new framework, councils must officially adopt the updated code by the end of this year, and many are already setting up public forums in the week ahead of formal meetings to capture community input. But opponents of the reforms warn that, without the chance to speak directly on the night, the immediacy and nuance of local opinion could be lost, especially on contentious issues like development proposals or rate increases.

Supporters of the changes maintain that separating public comment from the formal decision-making process will prevent meetings from being derailed by disorder and allow councillors to deliberate more calmly and constructively. But for residents who wanted to make their voices heard directly to the council, the shift represents a dramatically negative cultural change in how local government listens.

Community groups and some local councillors have signalled they will closely watch how the new rules play out once in force, mindful that transparency and responsiveness will remain critical as councils make decisions that shape everyday life in suburbs and towns across NSW.