The following screen dump comes from Monash City Council’s agenda for their meeting tonight. Glen Eira councillors voted against such a register recently, arguing that processes were already in place and that all councillors act with integrity. It would appear that the Local Government Inspectorate doesn’t think that such assertions are enough and has urged all councils to introduce a public register of all councillor meetings with developers. Given the rate of major developments in Glen Eira, such a move must be supported by the new crop of councillors if they are truly committed to full transparency in their roles.
Below is the Monash resolution, plus the relevant Inspectorate comments:
Glen Eira Debates 
August 29, 2022 at 1:28 PM
I’d go even further and expand this to officers. Even further, reports back to council on meetings with department and ministers. We know nothing about what goes on in these meetings and I reckon councillors know bugger all as well. If councillors are being told to be public with their meetings then the same should go for the bureaucrats that run the show.
August 29, 2022 at 1:42 PM
The resolution would need to be watered down for GECC as it has never been committed to transparency with regard to decision-making with respect to planning and development. Councillors are just part of the problem–most Council decision-making is made by officers putatively acting with delegated authority. We know nothing about what took place between officers and the Department when negotiating structure plans on behalf of the development industry. Councillors have indicated the public shouldn’t know and such information wouldn’t change their vote anyway. If they don’t believe in amenity standards, the honorable thing is to say so rather than ignore their existence. It is disgusting when Council is prepared to spend so much time talking with developers and zero time talking to existing residents impacted by substandard developments. As we’ve seen with Council’s latest proposal, rather than seek compliance with standards they want to weaken existing standards and ensure they are only discretionary. That’s why “grey corruption”, to quote The Age, is flourishing.
August 30, 2022 at 9:17 AM
You’ve expressed it so well. I don’t know what spin councillors are fed in their meetings but the results are clear. Anything that will halt rampant overdevelopment goes out the window. It gets worse if you grant nearly all power to the staff as our councillors insist on doing.
September 1, 2022 at 9:16 AM
I believe every interaction between officers could be and should be taped and sound recorded.