A recent social media post by Hawkesbury City Council promoting the long-awaited Richmond Swimming Centre has sparked concern about how local government communicates with the community, particularly when responding to scrutiny.
The posts, published on Council’s official Facebook page, urged residents to “not believe the fake news” in relation to claims the project had been delayed indefinitely. It also dismissed circulating images and criticism as “AI-slop” and “fake claims,” while reaffirming Council’s intention to begin construction early next year ahead of a projected 2029 opening. The posts can be viewed at https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1KBHcMdx9y/ and https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1R3Wyfzw46/
While Council’s enthusiasm for delivering the new facility is clear, the tone and framing of the message have raised eyebrows among governance observers and community stakeholders
Critics say the language used, particularly the phrase “fake news” is unnecessarily combative and risks undermining public trust, especially in the context of legitimate community questions about project costs, timelines, and delivery risks.
The Richmond Swimming Centre redevelopment has been the subject of ongoing public discussion, with media reporting and community commentary focusing on potential cost pressures and delays. Against that backdrop, concerns have been raised that dismissing criticism outright, rather than addressing it directly, falls short of best-practice public communication.
Good governance principles typically require councils to communicate in a way that is factual, transparent and politically neutral. This includes clearly identifying and correcting misinformation, while also acknowledging and responding to genuine community concerns.
Observers note that the Council post does not specify which claims are incorrect, nor does it provide detailed evidence to counter them, relying instead on general assurances and promotional messaging about the project.
The use of highly positive language, including references to “18,000 very enthusiastic and positive visitors” at the recent Hawkesbury Show, has also been cited as blurring the line between public information and marketing.
Importantly, the form of combative communication is now set to be referenced at an upcoming public sector conference in Canberra as an example of why councils should avoid adopting adversarial or dismissive language in official communications.
Conference organisers are expected to highlight the importance of maintaining public trust through balanced, evidence-based messaging particularly when responding to criticism or contested claims.
The case is likely to be used to reinforce that councils, as publicly funded institutions, have a responsibility to inform rather than persuade, and to engage constructively with scrutiny rather than dismiss it.
For many in the Hawkesbury, the issue is not whether the Richmond Swimming Centre will be delivered, but how openly and respectfully Council communicates along the way.
As the project progresses, the community will be watching not only the construction timeline, but also the tone and transparency of the updates they receive.
