In December 2025, Anna Maria Monticelli, Secretary of Protect Pittwater, applied and was denied 3 minutes speaking at the last Public Forum the Northern Beaches Council held as part of council meetings. Her address articulates these ongoing concerns of the Pittwater community, many of whom have dubbed the NBC just another version of Warringah Council, still pulling millions out of Pittwater to spend in Warringah while laying down concrete where it’s not wanted, putting in park benches on corners from which to view traffic, and plastic grass into known flood zones - just to up the kinds of pollution flowing into the estuary or onto the beaches every time it rains - and even as these materials are being installed.

For Anna's speech, click here

In recent months residents have seen both the Public Forum and Public Address opportunities being excised by members of political parties or lobbyist groups to express their opinions, and were becoming increasingly frustrated these are being used in this way.

The Public Forum provided an opportunity for residents to speak on any matter. The Public Address provided an opportunity for residents to speak on Items listed in the Agenda of council meetings, limited to two for and two against.  Under new Code Meeting practices passed by the council at the December 2025 meeting both the public forum and public address have been removed from council meetings. The NSW Office of Local Government’s Model Code of Meeting Practice for Local Councils in NSW for 2025 states these can still be held directly before a council meeting.

The document reiterates:

4. Public forums
4.1 The council may hold a public forum prior to meetings of the council and committees of the council for the purpose of hearing oral submissions from members of the public on items of business to be considered at the meeting. Public forums may also be held prior to meetings of other committees of the council.
4.2 The council may determine the rules under which public forums are to be conducted and when they are to be held.
4.3 The provisions of this code requiring the livestreaming of meetings also apply to public forums.

In the government’s FAQs it is stated: The public forum provisions are now mandatory but leave it to councils to determine whether to hold public forums before council and committee meetings.

Source link with more information Pittwater Online News January 2026