Public Participation

Council Meetings, Briefing Sessions, deputations and petitions provide residents with valuable opportunities to share their views on local issues. Your participation can help influence decisions and drive positive change in our community.

Council meetings are the official forum where decisions are made. These meetings are open to the public, and community members are welcome to attend.

From 1 January 2026, all committee meetings became open to the public to attend. Only committee meetings that have delegated authority provide an opportunity for public participation. The City has one committee with delegated authority being the Policy Review Committee.

There is no opportunity at an Agenda Briefing to ask questions or make a statement. However, a member of the public can register to make a Deputation in relation to an item on the current meeting agenda.

Members of the public are no longer required to pre-register to attend meetings of Council. Individuals are welcome to attend in person without prior booking, making it easier and more convenient for community members to observe proceedings and stay informed about Council decisions.

Council allocates 15 minutes for public questions and statements at each Ordinary Meeting. If the full 15 minute time allocation remains unused, the meeting proceeds to the next item. If questions exceed 15 minutes, the presiding officer decides whether to extend the time.

Deadlines for public questions

Written questions must be submitted by 12noon the day prior to the meeting for responses to be provided by the Administration at the meeting. The Administration may take questions on notice. Written questions are to be submitted to the Chief Executive Officer via the online form below.

Requirements

The rules for question and statement time include:

Priority will be given to persons who are asking questions relating to items on the current meeting agenda.
The second priority will be given to public statements. Only statements regarding items on the agenda under consideration will be heard.
Questions submitted for a Policy Review Committee must relate to items on the current meeting agenda. 
Questions submitted for an Ordinary Council Meeting can relate to any Council business.
Questions should only relate to the business of the Council and should not be a statement or personal opinion.
Only questions relating to matters affecting Council will be considered at an Ordinary Council Meeting, and at a special meeting only questions that relate to the purpose of the meeting will be considered. Questions may be taken on notice and responded to after the meeting.
Questions may not be directed at specific members of Council or employees.

Guidelines

During the meeting, no member of the public may interrupt the meeting’s proceedings or enter into conversation.

Each person seeking to ask questions during public question time may address the Council for a maximum of 3 minutes each.
The person presiding will control public question time and ensure that each person wishing to ask a question is given a fair and equal opportunity to do so.
A person wishing to ask a question should state his or her name and address before asking the question. If the question relates to an item on the agenda, the item number should also be stated.

How to submit written public questions

Members of the public have an opportunity to submit written questions to a Council meeting and a Policy Review Committee meeting. To submit questions for an upcoming Council meeting or Policy Review Committee meeting, complete the online form below.

Public question time online form

Deputations are presented during the Agenda Briefing.

Requirements for deputations

Members of the public may, by appointment, present a Deputation relating to items on the current Agenda Briefing.
A maximum of up to ten minutes (dependent on the number of deputations received) is permitted for each deputation with up to three people to address the Council Members.

How to present a deputation

If you wish to present a Deputation, please complete the online form.

Deputation request online form

Deadlines for deputations

Deputation requests are to be received no later than 9am on the day of the Briefing Session.

Petitions are a formal written request, typically signed by many people, that requests Council to take action in respect of a particular cause.

Petition requirements

A Petition must:

Be addressed to the Mayor or CEO.
As far as practicable, be prepared in the form prescribed.
Have each page of signatures headed with the words of the petition request.
Contain:
- each petitioner’s full name; and
- a verifiable address for each petitioner; and
- a signature* of each petitioner making the request; and
- the date each petitioner signed.
*For clarity, a signature may include an electronic form of individual submission which has been provided by a person such as a unique verifiable email address or mobile phone number or an e-signature, or a handwritten signature.
State the name of the person upon whom, and an address at which, notice to the petitioners can be given (the Submitter). Where such name and address is not given, all correspondence thereon shall be forwarded to the person whose name first appears on the petition.
Be in the form prescribed by the Local Government Act 1995 and Local Government (Constitution) Regulations 1996if it is:-
- A proposal to change the method of filling the Office of the Mayor
- A proposal to create a new district or the boundaries of the local government
- A request for a poll on a recommended amalgamation
- A submission about changes to Wards, the name of a district or ward, or the number of Councillor’s for a District or Ward.
The petition will be presented to the next Ordinary Council Meeting for acceptance and thereafter forwarded to Administration for investigation and action. A follow-up report will be presented to a Council meeting as soon as is practical on a recommended course of action.

Guidelines

Only the original, final version of a petition will be accepted.
A petition must be submitted in a printable format (this can include a hard copy or scanned/PDF electronically via email).
Online E-live petitions cannot be accepted by the City although a final extracted version of such a petition that is in a printable format, may be accepted if the Form of Petition criteria has been met.
A petition will not be accepted if it is defamatory or any action it proposes is unlawful.
The submitter of the petition (the person who lodges the petition and to whom correspondence in respect of the petition may be served) will be kept informed of the progress of the Petition by the Administration and will be advised of Council's resolution.