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Victory for the little man

After yesterday's column I'm sure at least a few readers will be interested in finding how things went after I rocked up at the local council meeting with my camera gear.

If you recall, the South Waikato District Council's "Executive Office" had emailed me to say that I was "not permitted" to bring my camera gear to the council chambers or film proceedings.

However, as you will have seen from yesterday's column, I'd done my homework and I was prepared.

On a previous occasion the council staff had attempted to stop me entering the chambers with my camera gear and I had simply stepped past them. They called the police who rolled up, only to inform them "no crime" was being committed and I was not removed.

On another occasion the Mayor, who indignantly asserted that he did not want to be filmed, actually adjourned a meeting due to the presence of my camera.

So what would happen this time, after I had been specifically denied permission but came with my camera gear anyway?

Well I guess the Mayor and his team finally got a clue and some legal advice -- or maybe they read yesterday's Aardvark and realised the risks involved.

Despite the email I'd received, there was nobody stopping me and my cameras from entering the council chambers.

I proceeded to set up my gear in the corner of the public gallery and as the Mayor walked past, on his way to his seat at the front of the room, he bid me a cheery "gidday" -- to which I replied in kind.

The meeting commenced and the Mayor addressed me. He suggested that I might have been confused and said that he had decided to give me permission to film, subject to conditions.

Of course we know that I didn't need his permission -- that was something granted under the council's own Standing Orders so I referred him to those orders. Clearly his ego would not allow him to concede this point so he had to pretend that I was only recording as a result of his consent.

He wasn't impressed with that challenge to his authority and implied that those orders didn't apply to him -- but we know they do.

After that brief conversation the meeting continued... and I recorded for the full duration of the public portion.

Victory was mine!

So what was the real outcome?

Well, as clearly demonstrated by the email from the "Executive Office", attempts were once again made to bully me into relinquishing my legal rights. This strategy has been repeated time and time again -- to the point where perhaps they will have finally realised that I will not be intimidated by those who misrepresent their power and authority.

Sadly, I fear that I am amongst a very small minority of people who are prepared to stand up to such bullying, rather than back down, allowing themselves to become victims.

I doubt the Mayor or his office will ever again try to stop me from recording a public meeting of his council -- because he knows that I know he simply does not have the power to do so. The law and even the council's own rules are on my side.

Another victory for the little guy -- more egg on the face of a bully.

On the up-side, now that this pettiness on the part of the Mayor is (hopefully) done and dusted, he'll be able to get on with his job -- although the devious tactics used to derail attempts by a new councilor to introduce greater transparency to council suggest to me that the Mayor is still not working in the community's best interest.

The next meeting isn't until January (what a great job!) so we'll see what happens then.

My final thoughts: nil carborundum illegitimi

Carpe Diem folks!

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