Communications Policy, Broome, 2022.

The Shire of Broome: a draft Corporate Communication and Engagement Strategy (CCES)

Our community is at the core of everything the Shire does – we want you to be informed and to have lots of opportunities to have your say.

Actions

• Use multiple communication avenues to inform the community about what the Shire is doing.

• Ensure communication and engagement avenues are both digital and in-person.

• Implement a uniform four-week public consultation period (where allowed by legislation).

• Utilise digital technologies to increase and streamline public participation.

• Investigate new engagement platforms, such as Bang the Table.

• Ensure Community Engagement Plans are completed for all Shire projects valued over $50,000.

• Aim to make the Shire website more accessible through the further use of online forms and ensure information is relevant and timely

https://www.broome.wa.gov.au/Council/Media-Centre/Corporate-Communication-and-Engagement-Strategy

Alt. CCES

I like where this is heading, in theory, but not implementation. This is still very much a top down driven organisation that makes a promise of keeping you informed, I think somewhat more than engaged, despite the promises.

Pollee creates jobs out of delivering on all this actionable material by implementing a vote, on top of what we have been pushing for, the 28 day deliberation; a clear and open Discussion between Shire Executive, Councillors and the registered voters of all the proposal’s merits and its losses.

We propose acting in trust, that we have chosen wise and generous councillors of good humour and sound judgement, but, in the event that the minority view expressed by a Council decision is challenged by the voters of the Shire, it’s the majority of those who participate in meeting the quorum number required by Council Statute, it is they who decide on what is done in the Shire’s name, their name and their wealth, contributed as your rates.

It’s no good avoiding the “contentious” decisions by using brute force or simply not participating and watch the carnage in popular social media channels. This Council has the opportunity to support a profession that helps protect residents and voters from harm, Infomarians. To check information for “truthfulness”, help residents, engage in finding the right services for the problem OR helping it get the attention it needs, personally or publicly. To be resolved, as best it can. At whatever level is necessary

There may not be the shortcuts for attaining all those dream jobs and projects, the lame old plan of an assured lock step vote of 5 - 3 will no longer have the potency it currently has. It’s about a multi - point, many peopled connection between voters and the Shire where the people who are assisting actually have a vested interest in giving good service and in telling the truth or it would seem, these days, “a political narrative” which is “amusing”, like a flaming paper bag full of gooey dogshit on your doorstep funny. It seems people will even pay for really bad, fake and racist, sexist, catholic, born to raise a family of pale skinned children, men, to preach that they alone hold the God given power to rule the world. From their lounge or the computer console of choice.

Let’s get back into the real world, you can all get involved in the things that really matter for the benefit of our community, the Shire, our lowest level of cooperation in government. Play RealCity not SimCity, participation is easy, secure, private, accountable in public and open to the law to protect the good citizen and dissuade or penalise the predators, highwaymen and swash buckling buccaneers. Engage when you can, want or need then make a choice by a simple 55c vote. Yes or No.

No more guessing what the ratepayers want, they can help the Executive, staff and Council to understand and direct them to a decision. One that has been well and truly discussed, modified, if needed, and decided.

You want engagement, so do we. With respect.