Logan Council protest raises claims of gagging and censorship at meetings

Towards the end of the meeting on Tuesday, June 20 mayor Luke Smith moved to table a previously confidential report prepared by the Local Government Association of Queensland about the approval processes of a development known as The Lakes, Carbrook.

The approval of the development was one focus of a Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) hearing last week, at which Cr Smith was questioned about the lead up to his mayoral election campaign.

Earlier this week, Cr Smith distributed an email to all LCC councillors asking for at least 24 hours’ advance notice of all matters arising at council meetings.

The mayor requested that matters beyond Logan City and its residents not be raised without notice. 

At that point of the meeting, Division 10 councillor Darren Power was the first to stand and walk directly to the exit, a broad piece of masking tape affixed across his mouth.

He was followed by Division 1 councillor Lisa Bradley, who took longer to leave the chamber, displaying a similarly taped-up mouth to the press gallery before exiting.

"This has to do with the CCC open inquiry that was held last week and it was a deliberate attempt to gag us and hence the taping of the mouths," Cr Bradley told the ABC after the meeting.

According to Cr Power, the mayor’s move was “an irrational decision made to cut the general business” in order to prevent discussion about the CCC hearings.

At the council meeting, Cr Smith said the directive was to ensure all councillors were transparent in their dealings, including within the chamber.

All councillors and other attendees were reminded that the use of recording devices is banned within the council chambers during meetings.