Weddin Shire Council discussed and voted to adopt the draft Social Media Policy at their ordinary monthly meeting on 18 September.

In the business papers, the the purpose of the Social Media Policy was highlighted, which is to provide a clear standard of conduct for the Weddin Shire Councillors in relation to social media use.

The policy is adopted from the Model Social Media Policy template, developed by the Office of Local Government in 2022.

The Social Media Policy had up to this point was adopted by Council on 17 November 2022 with a review date of August 2025. A draft policy was tabled to Council at its July meeting, with no changes being proposed. It was recommended that the draft policy be placed on Public Exhibition for a period of 28 days inviting submissions from the community.

The Draft Policy was placed on public exhibition to which one submission was received requesting there be no Social Media Policy as 'as the policy is intentionally vague'.

No changes were made to the draft policy before it was returned to Council to discuss and vote on at their September meeting.

Director Corporate Services Kathryn Brock said the social media policy presents an opportunity for a guideline on how councillors behave and are protected to have uniform information and understand the risks in in using social media as a councillor.

"It ensures that we are addressing changes in technologies and how we deal with those changes as a Council," she said.

Councillor John Niven said this policy is fine for the perfect world, but the Minister for Local Government Ron Hoenig is having a problem with the code of conduct industry.

"This type of thing feeds straight into it where opinions are argued over and things get used as weapons to intimidate and bully," he said.

"It doesn't serve the purpose it was intended for and I don't believe it's worth having."

Cr Niven said this policy is not mandatory and he opposes it.

Councillor Wezley Makin said for every large business a social media policy is a current practice and protects individuals within the business so they are held accountable for when or if something happens by them or to them.

Cr Makin said there is a multitude of social media sites and even Council's own website, and Council's Facebook page is prone to these issues.

"It is to protect the interest of Council, protect the interests of councillors," he said.

"Whether we like it or not, whatever organization you work for, whatever you put out into the world on social media, you are the face of that place. Whether you agree to it or not."

"What you are perceived through that, it can be misconstrued really, really quickly or whatever is said by any individual in the public; tone, message, meaning, everything can be taken at its face value or be taken even further," he said.

Cr Makin said he was in full agreeance with this policy for that fact and that we live in a day and age where social media is a major platform.