Put plainly, it’s gibberish
Policy on clarity gets lost in jargon
A CITY of Greater Geelong plan to communicate better with the public is riddled with jargon and technocratic gibberish, former councillors say.
Administrators this week voted to adopt the newly revised Community Engagement Policy and Plan, claiming the community would have “greater clarity” over decisions made by the municipality.
In a statement reminiscent of sitcoms such as Yes Minister and Utopia, the plan contains phrases such as “develop partnerships with stakeholders”, “improve our engagement platforms” and “create a network of community engagement champions.”
October election candidates yesterday highlighted the irony of a clear communication plan filled with corporate buzzwords.
“This policy needs to be rewritten in plain English for all to understand,” Eddy Kontelj said.
“Whilst the policy and report highlights areas of opportunity and improvement, these are lost in the pages of jargon and the long-winded manner in which the policy is endeavouring to explain what should be a simple message.”
Former Geelong candidate mayor Darryn Lyons said the administrators had taken a Sir Humphrey-style approach to communicating with residents.
“The communication lines when I was mayor were the best they’d ever been — the national exposure on television, in newspapers, we were putting Geelong on the map,” he said.
“I’ve had three decades in the media business, starting my career in the Geelong Advertiser.
“I know about communications and this council have failed to engage with the community, or maybe they don’t want to make a connection with the public.”
In a statement, City of Greater Geelong administrator chairwoman Kathy Alexander said: “Our new Community Engagement Policy and Plan will ensure that all key council decisions are informed by appropriate community engagement that is adequately resourced.” CARDINAL George Pell’s first court appearance lasted only minutes under the intense glare of the world’s media, signalling the start of a lengthy legal fight by the highest ranking Catholic official to be charged with sexual abuse.
The third most senior Vatican official did not have to be at the Melbourne Magistrates Court for the brief administrative hearing, nor again profess his innocence, but chose to do both.
High-profile barrister Robert Richter QC noted Cardinal Pell did not have to enter a plea at this early stage but said he would plead not guilty to mul-