Why basic streaming setups are no longer enough for council transparency
As New South Wales councils advance toward the mandatory meeting streaming deadline of 1 January 2026, many are evaluating their current technology. While the immediate impulse might be to adopt a consumer-grade streaming platform or a basic setup, these solutions often introduce significant compliance, security, and reputational risks and potential breaches. The legislative requirements for transparency, accessibility, and archiving demand a solution that is purpose-built for the unique demands of local government.
Simply “going live” is not enough. A professional, secure, and fully compliant streaming capability is essential to not only meet the legal mandate but also to genuinely enhance community engagement and public trust. Exploring the critical shortcomings of basic streaming tools and outlining the strategic advantages of a government-specific solution can help staff better understand the options available to them.
The hidden risks of consumer-grade streaming
Using generic, off-the-shelf streaming platforms like YouTube Live, Facebook, or even basic Zoom configurations can seem like a cost-effective shortcut to compliance. However, these tools were not designed for the rigorous requirements of government proceedings and can expose councils to significant legal and operational vulnerabilities.
Critical gaps in accessibility compliance
The NSW legislation implicitly requires that streamed and archived content be accessible to all community members, including those with disabilities. This is where most basic platforms fail in two ways:
- Inaccurate captioning: Automated captioning on generic platforms typically averages around 75% accuracy. This rate is insufficient for compliance and can lead to misunderstandings or misrepresentation of official proceedings, creating a poor experience for residents with hearing impairments.
- Lack of multilingual support: Australia’s diverse communities require information in multiple languages. Consumer tools rarely offer integrated, high-quality multilingual captioning, excluding large segments of the population from participating.
In contrast, a purpose-built solution such as Partially-Managed Video (formerly Swagit EASE) from Granicus delivers captioning accuracy of up to 98%, ensuring discussions are documented precisely. It also provides robust multilingual support, making council meetings truly accessible to a broader audience and reinforcing a commitment to inclusivity.
Security vulnerabilities and lack of control
Public meetings are official government proceedings that require a secure and controlled environment. Consumer-grade platforms introduce risks that are unacceptable for government operations.
Open platforms are susceptible to disruptions, or “Zoombombing,” from uninvited participants who can share inappropriate content or disrupt proceedings, undermining the integrity of the meeting.
Councils using third-party platforms are also subject to the terms of service of those particular platforms. This means meeting content could be flagged or removed without warning due to perceived policy violations, even if the content is standard government procedure. Similarly, hosting official records on commercial servers raises questions about data sovereignty, security, and long-term control.
Granicus solutions mitigate these risks by providing a government-grade secure environment. With a guaranteed 99.9% uptime and full council control over content, it ensures official meetings remain professional, uninterrupted, and securely managed within a platform designed for the public sector.
From basic broadcasting to meaningful engagement
Beyond compliance, the goal of the NSW mandate is to foster greater transparency and public participation. A basic stream of a meeting is a missed opportunity. Councils need to provide a user experience that is professional, accessible, and easy to navigate to truly engage residents.
Watching hours of unindexed video footage to find a specific topic is a major barrier to public engagement. A professional presentation makes information easy to consume by offering:
- Indexed, searchable videos: Granicus’ Partially-Managed Video solution automatically indexes meeting videos with the corresponding agenda items. This allows residents to click directly to the exact point of the discussion in which they are interested, transforming a long recording into a valuable, user-friendly resource.
- Enhanced public access: By aligning video content with agendas, councils empower residents to quickly find information relevant to them, whether it’s a local development application or a new community policy. This ease of access is proven to increase resident participation.
This level of professional presentation and functionality demonstrates a commitment to transparency that builds significant public trust.
Ensuring reliable archiving and retention
The NSW legislation requires that meeting recordings be archived for the full council term, or at least 12 months in an election year. This is not a simple file storage issue. Consumer platforms are not designed for long-term, compliant government archiving. Videos can be accidentally deleted, or accounts can be lost, putting the council at risk of non-compliance. Further, the manual process of downloading, storing, and managing large video files is inefficient and prone to human error.
Granicus automates the entire archiving process. Once a meeting concludes, the video is professionally processed, captioned, indexed, and published directly to the council’s website within a secure, searchable archive. This ensures compliance with retention requirements without adding a manual burden on staff.
The purpose-built advantage for NSW councils
The difference between a consumer-grade tool and a government-specific solution lies in the design philosophy. While platforms like Zoom can be retrofitted for public meetings, they lack the integrated workflows, security protocols, and compliance features needed for official government use.
Granicus’ Video solution was engineered from the ground up for government. It is not a generic tool adapted for a new purpose; it is a solution built to address the specific challenges councils face. Granicus’ video solutions seamlessly integrate the tasks of recording, post-production, captioning, indexing, and publishing into a single, automated workflow. This delivers the reliability, compliance, and scalability councils can trust as they navigate their new legislative responsibilities.
For councils seeking to do more than simply meet the minimum requirement, a purpose-built solution offers a strategic advantage. It frees staff from tedious technical tasks, mitigates legal and reputational risks, and provides a superior digital experience that strengthens the relationship between the council and the community it serves.
As the 2026 deadline approaches, it’s time for councils to look beyond basic setups and invest in a solution that empowers genuine transparency and elevates public engagement for years to come.
Learn more about how Granicus can improve public meetings.