Council & accountability · Scenic Rim Regional Council
Scenic Rim policy sets media rules for portfolio councillors
The policy text in the unconfirmed minutes says a relevant portfolio councillor or the CEO may speak to media about a regional issue when the mayor and deputy mayor are unavailable.
Reporting from draft minutes. Recorded wording may change when confirmed. How this article was prepared
According to unconfirmed minutes, Scenic Rim Regional Council has adopted an amended Councillor Portfolios Policy addressing who can speak publicly about portfolio and regional matters. The final motion, recorded as carried unanimously on 28 October, also provides for a portfolio report each month and two Division Reports at every ordinary meeting.
The policy text included in the minutes says portfolio councillors can act as official spokespeople on portfolio matters in accordance with the policy. Its tracked-change text describes the mayor as the official spokesperson on portfolio-related matters and refers to a portfolio councillor being appointed as an official spokesperson on a portfolio matter only by the mayor’s delegation. A separate sentence says that if neither the mayor nor deputy mayor is available to comment on a regional issue or project, a relevant portfolio councillor or the chief executive officer may speak to the media in that instance. That sentence does not repeat the mayoral-delegation condition contained in an earlier motion. The attachment contains tracked-change formatting artefacts and does not provide clean final wording for all spokesperson provisions.
Mayor Tom Sharp proposed the earlier spokesperson amendments, and the original mover and seconder, Cr Kerri Cryer and Cr Marshall Chalk, accepted them. After an updated tracked-changes version of the policy was tabled, that motion was withdrawn. Cr Cryer moved the final motion and Cr Stephen Moriarty seconded it, adopting the amended policy identified as Attachment 3 rather than the earlier motion’s Attachment 4.
The monthly portfolio report is to be prepared by council staff with input from the relevant councillor. The policy describes it as a two- or three-page snapshot of activities that may interest councillors and the public, rather than a record of every activity. The listed portfolios are Transport and Infrastructure; Sport and Recreation; Tourism and Regional Events; Economic Development; Parks and Biodiversity; and Community, Arts and Culture.
The policy does not give portfolio councillors formal authority to determine policy or make operational decisions through the portfolio system. It also says they do not take on the mayor’s statutory roles, powers or functions unless delegated. The minutes do not give a date for the first portfolio or Division Reports.
What deserves a closer look
The final policy-adoption motion is recorded as carried unanimously, but the minutes are unconfirmed and state they are to be confirmed on 25 November 2026.
The earlier motion containing an express mayoral-delegation condition for regional media comments was withdrawn. The final motion adopted Attachment 3, whose regional-media fallback sentence does not repeat that condition.
The included policy text contains tracked-change formatting artefacts. The story reports what that text says without treating it as a clean, independently verified version of every operative spokesperson provision.
Questions for follow-up reporting
When will the first monthly portfolio report and first Division Reports be included in an ordinary meeting agenda?
Which councillors will be assigned to each portfolio, and how will media delegations be recorded or communicated?
What happens next
Prepare a portfolio report each month for council's consideration under the recorded final resolution.
Present two Division Reports at each ordinary meeting under the recorded final resolution.
Update the Standing Orders for Council Meetings Policy at its next presentation to include Portfolio Reports and Division Reports in the order of business and agenda sections.
Check the record
These passages were matched to the source text. Read them in context in the original minutes.
The motion adopted the amended Councillor Portfolios Policy identified as Attachment 3, endorsed a monthly Portfolio Report and endorsed two Division Reports at each ordinary meeting; it was recorded as carried unanimously.
Moved: Cr Kerri Cryer Seconded: Cr Jennifer Sanders Carried unanimously Motion That: 1. Council endorse each month a Portfolio Report being prepared for Council's consideration summarising recent and upcoming activities relating to one portfolio; 2. Council adopt the amended Councillor Portfolios Policy identified as Attachment 3 in the report; 3. Council endorse two Division Reports being presented at each Ordinary Meeting to provide an opportunity to highlight activities occurring within or relating to, the geographic divisional areas of Council; and 4. Council note the Standing Orders for Council Meetings Policy will be updated, when next presented to Council, to include a Portfolio Report and Division Reports in the Order of Business and Agenda sections of the Policy. Moved: Cr Kerri Cryer Seconded: Cr Stephen Moriarty Carried unanimously Electronic version current uncontrolled copy valid only at time of printing. Document Name: Councillor Portfolios Document Maintained by: Governance and Assurance Page 1 of 5 Current Version Reviewed – 24.07.2024 Next Review Date – 24.07.2027 Council Policy Councillor Portfolios Policy Reference Number CP00049 Choose an item Date 24/07/2024 PortfolioDirectorate Council SustainabilityCorporate and Community Services Next Review Date 24/07/2027 Business Unit Governance and Assurance Document ID 12084738 1.
Item 11.1, final motion and result
Open original minutes ↗Cr Kerri Cryer moved a motion, Cr Stephen Moriarty seconded it, and it was recorded as carried unanimously.
Moved: Cr Kerri Cryer Seconded: Cr Stephen Moriarty Carried unanimously Electronic version current uncontrolled copy valid only at time of printing. Document Name: Councillor Portfolios Document Maintained by: Governance and Assurance Page 1 of 5 Current Version Reviewed – 24.07.2024 Next Review Date – 24.07.2027 Council Policy Councillor Portfolios Policy Reference Number CP00049 Choose an item Date 24/07/2024 PortfolioDirectorate Council SustainabilityCorporate and Community Services Next Review Date 24/07/2027 Business Unit Governance and Assurance Document ID 12084738 1.
Item 11.1, final motion mover, seconder and result
Open original minutes ↗The included policy text requires portfolio councillors to act as official council spokespeople or representatives on portfolio-relevant matters in accordance with the policy.
b) Liaise with other Portfolio Councillors regarding matters that may affect their respective Portfolio areas; c) Keep the Mayor informed on Portfolio matters; d) Act as the official Council spokesperson or representative on Portfolio relevant matters in accordance with this Policy to ensure consistent communication and messaging;
Councillor Portfolios Policy, clause 4.1.2(d)
Open original minutes ↗The tracked-change text describes the mayor as the official spokesperson on portfolio-related matters and refers to appointment of a portfolio councillor as official spokesperson on a portfolio matter only by mayoral delegation; the passage contains merged wording and formatting artefacts.
4.1.4. Portfolio Councillor The Portfolio Councillor should be the key CouncilMayor is the official spokesperson on a Portfolio related matter.. The Mayor can also make comment on any Portfolio matters and be quoted in Council media releases. along with the The Portfolio Councillor (including for media statements arising from decisions of Council). can only be appointed as the official spokesperson on a portfolio matter by delegation of the Mayor.
Councillor Portfolios Policy, tracked-change text in clause 4.1.4
Open original minutes ↗The included policy text says that if neither the mayor nor deputy mayor is available to comment on a regional issue or project, a relevant portfolio councillor or the CEO may act as spokesperson to the media in that instance.
If neither the Mayor nor Deputy Mayor is available to comment on a regional issue and/or project, a relevant Portfolio Councillor or the CEO may act as the spokesperson in that instance to the media.
Councillor Portfolios Policy, regional-media fallback sentence
Open original minutes ↗The quoted motion text proposed adopting Attachment 4 with mayoral-delegation wording for regional media comments.
Council endorse each month a Portfolio Report being prepared for Council's consideration summarising recent and upcoming activities relating to one portfolio; 2. Council adopt the amended Councillor Portfolios Policy identified as Attachment 4 in the report, with the following amendments to clause 4.1.2(d) and 4.1.4: "d) Act as the official Council spokesperson or representative on Portfolio relevant matters in accordance with this Policy to ensure consistent communication and messaging If the Mayor is not available to comment on a regional issue and/or project, a relevant Portfolio Councillor or the CEO may act as the spokesperson in that instance to the media where the Mayor has delegated that authority;" "4.1.4 ... If neither the Mayor nor Deputy Mayor is not available to comment on a regional issue and/or project, a relevant Portfolio Councillor or the CEO may act as the spokesperson in that instance to the media where the Mayor has delegated that authority." 3.
Item 11.1 continued, earlier motion on the table
Open original minutes ↗Cr Tom Sharp proposed amendments to the spokesperson provisions, which Cr Kerri Cryer and Cr Marshall Chalk accepted as the original mover and seconder.
Proposed Amendment Cr Tom Sharp proposed an amendment to paragraph 2 of the motion, as follows: 2. Council adopt the amended Councillor Portfolios Policy identified as Attachment 4 in the report, with the following amendments to clause 4.1.2(d) and 4.1.4: "d) Act as the official Council spokesperson or representative on Portfolio relevant matters in accordance with this Policy to ensure consistent communication and messaging If the Mayor is not available to comment on a regional issue and/or project, a relevant Portfolio Councillor or the CEO may act as the spokesperson in that instance to the media where the Mayor has delegated that authority;" "4.1.4 ... If neither the Mayor nor Deputy Mayor is not available to comment on a regional issue and/or project, a relevant Portfolio Councillor or the CEO may act as the spokesperson in that instance to the media where the Mayor has delegated that authority." Crs Kerri Cryer and Marshall Chalk, as mover and seconder of the original motion, accepted the amendments proposed by Cr Tom Sharp.
Item 11.1, proposed spokesperson amendments
Open original minutes ↗An updated tracked-changes policy was tabled and received as an update to Attachment 3, and the motion on the table was subsequently withdrawn.
Moved: Cr Kerri Cryer Seconded: Cr Marshall Chalk I table an updated version of Attachment 3 to Item 11.1, being a Revised Council Policy Councillor Portfolios (with tracked changes), and I move the following: Procedural Motion That the amended Revised Council Policy Councillor Portfolios (with tracked changes) be received by Council as an update to Attachment 3, and be included in the Minutes of this Ordinary Meeting. Moved: Cr Marshall Chalk Carried unanimously Attachment (as tabled) 3. Updated version - Attachment 3 Revised Council Policy Councillor Portfolios (with tracked changes) Ordinary Meeting Minutes 28 October 2026 Page 38 Motion That the motion on the table be withdrawn. Moved: Cr Kerri Cryer Seconded: Cr Jennifer Sanders Carried unanimously Motion That: 1. Council endorse each month a Portfolio Report being prepared for Council's consideration summarising recent and upcoming activities relating to one portfolio;
Item 11.1 continued, updated attachment and withdrawal
Open original minutes ↗Source record
Reporting from Scenic Rim Regional Council’s unconfirmed minutes for its Ordinary Meeting on 28 October 2026. The minutes state they are to be confirmed on 25 November 2026.
Key facts from the minutes
- The unconfirmed minutes record that council’s final resolution adopted the amended Councillor Portfolios Policy and carried unanimously.
- A portfolio report is to be prepared each month, with two Division Reports presented at each ordinary meeting.
- The included policy text says a relevant portfolio councillor or the CEO may speak to media on a regional issue or project when the mayor and deputy mayor are unavailable. That sentence does not repeat the mayoral-delegation condition in the earlier, withdrawn motion.
- The policy says portfolio councillors have no formal delegated authority for policy determination or operational decision-making through the portfolio framework.
- The policy lists six portfolio areas, including transport and infrastructure, tourism and regional events, and community, arts and culture.
Why it matters
- The policy sets a formal process for monthly public reporting and addresses media comments by portfolio councillors and the CEO. It also separates those communication roles from council’s policy-making and operational authority.