civic engagement Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Clover Hill Diaries

No lease, no answers. What is Kiama Council hiding?

New here? Here’s what you need to know

This blog explores the twists and turns of local democracy in the Kiama local government area. I’m not a councillor. I’m not on staff. I’m a community member and former CIVICS writer for the local newspaper. I care deeply about transparency, proper process and public trust.

Lately, one issue has dominated local headlines and council meetings: whether Gerringong Surf Life Saving Club can secure a long-term lease on public land. What should be a straightforward process has instead sparked confusion, conflict and controversy.

This post is part of a series that unpacks the facts behind the drama. I’m drawing on the expertise of people who have stepped forward to support clearer, more collaborative leadership in our community.

If you are trying to make sense of what is happening and why it matters, you are in the right place.

I am not on the inside. I am not in the workshops or briefing rooms. I do not have access to confidential reports. And too often, neither do councillors.

As the CIVICS writer, I learned how to fact-check, how to read legislation, and how to seek out people with real expertise. Over time, those people started coming to me.

But I am still outside the tent. Which is exactly why I keep writing.

My dealings with Kiama Council have shown me that even elected councillors are not always given the information they need to make informed decisions. When that happens, you get confusion, public frustration, and yet another act in the ongoing drama triangle that’s been playing out for far too long.

So let’s walk back from the noise and revisit the core question.

Can councils lease community land to surf life saving clubs?

✅ Yes, they can. But only if they follow the correct process.

Here’s how it works.

📄 Step 1: Start with the legislation
The power to lease community land comes from Section 46 of the Local Government Act 1993.
Councils can grant leases for specific purposes, including surf life saving clubs, if those purposes are expressly authorised in the Community Plan of Management (CPM).

🔎 Step 2: Check the CPM
Is the reserve’s CPM publicly available? It should be.
If not, ask Council’s property officer for the most up-to-date version.

🟢 If the CPM allows for a lease to a surf life saving club, then Council can proceed to the next steps under Sections 46A, 47 and 47A of the Act.

🔴 If it doesn’t, the CPM needs to be amended. After that, Council can move forward with the leasing process.

🛠️ Key details from the Act:

A lease of more than 5 years can be granted without going to tender if the tenant is a non-profit organisation, unless the CPM specifically requires a tender.
A lease (including any renewal options) that extends beyond 21 years needs Ministerial consent.

📚 Useful background reading:

So where does that leave us?

According to one of the experts who contacted me this week 🙏, Council can grant a lease to Gerringong Surf Life Saving Club right now, if it wants to. There is no need to reclassify the land from community to operational.

This is not a legal mystery. The steps are clear. The legislation is available. The expertise exists.

What we need now is transparency, clarity, and leadership.

If councillors do not have the information they need to make these decisions confidently, we have a much bigger problem than a lease.

A note of thanks
To the planners, legal experts, governance professionals and strategic thinkers who have reached out to help clarify the issues, thank you. Your quiet support and willingness to share knowledge shows me what collaborative leadership can look like. Let’s keep building it together.

#KiamaCouncil #Gerringong #SurfClubLeases #LocalGovernment #CommunityLand #GovernanceMatters #NSWPolitics

You won’t believe what happens when council doesn’t like your story.

After a year of writing civics stories for The Bugle, I’ve made the decision to step away to give myself space to recover and focus on a long-planned research project. Writing about local democracy in a small regional paper demands deep research, stamina, and a willingness to navigate complex power dynamics, especially when the paper is privately owned and the local council holds significant influence.

You do the work. You check the facts, read the reports, ask the right questions. You approach Council for comment and give them the opportunity to respond. You publish with care. But when Council doesn’t like what’s published, pressure follows.

In my case, formal complaints were lodged. Demands were made to take stories down. You even get reported to the Australian Press Council and wait up to 12 months to see whether you’ll receive a big slap on the wrist. Eventually, the Press Council came back with “Nothing to see here,” but that doesn’t stop Kiama Council. The longer you try to hold the line, the more isolated you become. Eventually, you realise the personal cost of staying in that position is too high.

It is my understanding that these tactics fall under what legal experts describe as Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation, or SLAPP suits.

These are civil claims aimed at silencing people who speak out on matters of public interest by draining their time, money, and emotional resources through intimidation and legal pressure.

So now is the time is right to step back and go deeper. I’ve been developing a research project for several years that explores how community media, advocacy groups and local networks can work together to strengthen public decision-making. The ideas are already taking root around us, and I want to give them the attention they deserve.

What gives me hope is the groundswell of local groups stepping up to do democracy differently. Across the region, people are coming together with a shared purpose: to build a fairer, more transparent, more collaborative community. They’re generous with their time, clear in their values, and focused on outcomes that serve all of us.

That’s where my energy is going now, supporting this broader movement and continuing the work of community advocacy in new ways.

Want to know what it’s really like to report on local democracy from the inside?
Explore my Behind the Byline series, a candid look at the highs, lows and hard calls of writing civics stories in a small regional town.

Kiama #TheBugle #RegionalMedia #CivicVoice #CommunityAdvocacy #LocalDemocracy #IndependentJournalism #GrassrootsLeadership #DoDemocracyDifferently

Navigating Uncertain and Detached Leadership in Your Community

In many communities, leadership plays a critical role in guiding progress and addressing local concerns. However, there are times when leadership may exhibit wavering faith in its ability and show no genuine interest in engaging with the grassroots.

This blog has been inspired by my recent experience to trying to work with my local government and being at loss to understand why it finds it so hard to responsive to a community that wants to be seen, heard and valued. I have found encountering individuals or organisations that prioritise procedural adherence, risk aversion, and hierarchical decision-making very challenging Especially confusing when it has instigated a community engagement strategy yet its leadership role models behaviours like bureaucratic rigidity, unresponsiveness, or noncommittal attitudes—traits I find particularly challenging to navigate. See previous blog post here

Despite the introduction of a community engagement strategy, it often feels like there is no genuine desire to engage with the community. The leadership seems to lack confidence in their ability to lead and appears detached from the grassroots. This experience has led me to explore why such a strategy would be instigated without true commitment and what the grassroots can do to address this issue.

To help me understanding these challenges I asked our resident expert in all things human behaviour to help me understand these challenges and hopefully successfully navigate them.

The following educational content has been provided by Alex Reed

In many communities, leadership plays a critical role in guiding progress and addressing local concerns. However, there are times when leadership may exhibit wavering faith in its ability and show no genuine interest in engaging with the grassroots. This can manifest in various ways:

Lack of Confidence: Leadership appears hesitant and indecisive, avoiding clear commitments and decisive actions.
Detachment: There is minimal effort to understand or address the concerns of the grassroots community.
Superficial Engagement: Interactions with the community are more about going through the motions than genuinely listening and responding to feedback.

These issues can lead to an erosion of trust and a decrease in community morale. But all is not lost. The grassroots have the power to influence change and hold leadership accountable. Here are some strategies to consider:

Strategies for Grassroots Engagement

Organise and Unite
- Form Coalitions: Bring together like-minded community members to form a unified group. Strength in numbers can amplify your voice and influence.
- Identify Leaders: Elect or appoint community leaders who can represent the group and communicate effectively with leadership.
Document and Communicate Issues
- Keep Detailed Records: Document all interactions with leadership, including meetings, emails, and responses. This helps in building a case for your concerns.
- Share Your Story: Use social media, community forums, and local media to share documented issues and raise awareness. A well-informed community is a powerful community.
Engage in Constructive Dialogue
- Request Meetings: Formally request meetings with leadership to discuss specific concerns. Prepare an agenda and stick to the points.
- Be Clear and Concise: Present your issues clearly and concisely, backed by documented evidence and data.
Leverage Data
- Conduct Surveys: Gather data from the community to highlight key concerns and priorities. Use this data to make a compelling case to leadership.
- Present Findings: Use data visualisations and reports to present your findings in a clear and impactful way.
Build Alliances with Other Critical Partners
- Local Businesses: Partner with local businesses that have a stake in the community’s well-being.
- Educational Institutions: Engage with schools and universities for support and resources.
- Health and Safety Organizations: Collaborate with organizations focused on health, safety, and environmental sustainability.
Mobilise the Community
- Petitions and Protests: Organise petitions to gather signatures and demonstrate widespread support for your cause. Peaceful protests can also raise visibility.
- Attend Public Meetings: Show up in numbers to public meetings and use public comment periods to voice concerns directly to leadership.
Seek Support from Higher Authorities
- Government Representatives: Contact local government representatives, such as MPs or state legislators, for support and intervention.
- Ombudsman and Watchdog Organisations: File formal complaints with oversight bodies that can investigate and hold leadership accountable.

Empowering the Community

It’s essential to remember that change often starts from the ground up. While leadership may appear uncertain and detached, the grassroots can drive meaningful change through organisation, clear communication, and persistent advocacy. Here are a few final tips to keep in mind:

Stay Informed: Keep up with local news and developments within your community. Knowledge is power.
Be Persistent: Change doesn’t happen overnight. Stay committed to your cause and continue to push for action.
Support Each Other: Foster a supportive community where members encourage and assist one another. Collective strength is vital.

By taking these steps, the grassroots can transform uncertainty and detachment into opportunities for greater community involvement and stronger, more responsive leadership. Remember, the power to shape the future of your community lies in your hands.

Join the Conversation

Have you experienced similar challenges with leadership in your community? Share your stories and strategies in the comments below. Let’s learn from each other and continue to build stronger, more resilient communities together.

#CommunityEngagement #GrassrootsLeadership #LocalGovernment #CommunityAction #PublicParticipation #CivicEngagement #CommunityOrganising #DataDrivenDecisions #LocalLeadership #CommunityAdvocacy #BuildingTrust #Empowerment #GrassrootsMovement #CommunitySupport #CommunityVoice