Rights Of Admission To Public Bodies’ Meetings

Press, Volume C, Issue 29673, 17 November 1961, Page 16

Rights Of Admission To Public Bodies’ Meetings

WELLINGTON. Nov 16 A bill which, with certain exceptions, provides for all meetings of public bodies to be open to the public was introduced in the House of Representatives today. Entitled the Public Bodies Meeting Bill, it will not be passed by Parliament this year but will be available for consideration by the Local Bills Committee as soon as Parliament convenes next year The public may be excluded from a public body meeting where in the opinion of the body, expressed in a resolution. <a) Publicity would be prejudicial » the public interest by reason of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted, or for other special reasons arising from the nature of the business, or (b) Publicity would be likely to cause unnecessary personal embarrassment to, or unnecessarily damage the personal reputation of. any person. The reason for excluding

(N.Z Press Association) the public from any meeting must be stated in the resolution or motion for exclusion. The matters on the agenda to be considered while the public is excluded must also be stated. The bill provides that accredited newspaper representatives are entitled to attend as members of the public, that where an agenda is prepared, a reasonable number of additional copies must be available for members of the public, and that copies of additional statements, or particulars necessary to indicate the nature of items included tn the agenda, must be supplied with the agenda Publie bodies retain the right to remove or exclude any member of the public from any meeting on account of noisy or disorderly conduct, intoxication or misbehaviour Members of the public are entitled, without payment of a fee, to inspect, during ordinary office hours, the minutes of any meeting or part of a meeting that was required to be open to the public. The bill is to prevail over the provisions of any other

enactments, which include the by-laws, standing orders or rales of procedure of a public body. Types of public bodies to whom the bill will apply are listed, and include the following:—Approved organisations under the Hydatids Act. 1959. borough councils, catchment boards and commissions, city councils, combined school controlling authorities, county councils, district and metropolitan milk boards, domain boards, drainage boards, education boards, electric power boards, fire boards, fire brigade committees, fire committees, harbour boards, hospital boards, licensing trusts, nassella tussock boards, postprimary schools councils and post-primary schools boards of governors, rabbit boards, railway boards. regional planning authorities, river boards, road boards, secondary schools governing bodies, technical schools governing bodies or boards rf managers, town councils, underground water authorities and urban fire authorities. A number of specialised public bodies, operating under their own legislation, are also specified.