The City of Casey’s upcoming May meeting will be held in person after two months of online discussions; however, it will be limited to a gallery of 80 people.
The meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, 20 May, will be held at Bunjil Place, with members welcome to attend the gallery.
As compared to the initial in-person meeting, and to better manage public attendance, the council is introducing a new registration process for those seeking to attend meetings.
Registrants will also need to provide their first and last names, as well as their home addresses, to confirm their identity.
They will also be required to bring a valid form of identification with them in order to access the gallery.
Casey’s mayor, Stefan Koomen, said that this process will enable the council to welcome the community into the public gallery while ensuring a safe and orderly environment for everyone attending.
“My fellow councillors and I can’t wait to return to return to in-person meetings in May,” he said.
“As your new council group, this will be our third meeting with a public gallery, and we’re all looking forward to this.”
This announcement comes as the second public meeting, which was held in February 2025, was adjourned following a series of disruptive behaviours from the over 300-strong gallery.
Since then, the two consecutive council meetings held in March and April have been held online, with the public still open to view online.
From May onwards, those wishing to attend a council meeting will be required to pre-register their attendance on the council’s website, with registrations open from the Thursday prior to each meeting and closed by 10am the Monday before the meeting.
“More than 300 people attended the February council meeting, and this process is in place so we can host a safe and orderly meeting that is a positive experience for our community,” Mayor Koomen said.
This development from Casey follows the lead from several other metropolitan Melbourne councils who have adopted a very similar process, including Yarra Ranges Shire Council, Hobsons Bay, Greater Bendigo, Brimbank, and La Trobe City Council.
“We have a lot of important work to do, and we want to create the best possible environment to be able to do that,” Mayor Koomen said.
