Presenting a petition

If you would like to present a petition to the Council, you need to complete a Petition Form(PDF, 33KB).

The following section of the Local Government Act 1993 details the requirements and processes for petitions.

Electronic petitions will be presented to the Council as long as they satisfy the requirements in section 57 of the Local Government Act 1993, outlined below.

PART 6 Petitions, Polls and Public Meetings

57. Petitions

(1)  A person may lodge a petition with a council by presenting it to a councillor or the general manager.
(2)  A person lodging a petition is to ensure that the petition contains –

  • a clear and concise statement identifying the subject matter and the action requested; and
  • in the case of a paper petition, a heading on each page indicating the subject matter; and
  • in the case of a paper petition, a brief statement on each page of the subject matter and the action requested; and
  • a statement specifying the number of signatories; and
  • at the end of the petition –
  • in the case of a paper petition, the full name, address and signature of the person lodging the petition; and
  • in the case of an electronic petition, the full name and address of the person lodging the petition and a statement by that person certifying that the statement of the subject matter and the action requested, as set out at the beginning of the petition, has not been changed.

(3)  In this section –

  • electronic petition means a petition where the petition is created and circulated electronically and the signatories have added their details by electronic means;
  • paper petition means a petition where the petition is created on paper which is then circulated and to which the signatories have added their details directly onto the paper;
  • petition means a paper petition or electronic petition;
  • signatory means –
  • in the case of a paper petition, a person who has added his or her details to the paper petition and signed the petition; and
  • in the case of an electronic petition, a person who has added his or her details to the electronic petition.

58.Tabling petition

(1)  A councillor who has been presented with a petition is to –

  •  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  
  • forward it to the general manager within 7 days after receiving it.

(2)  A general manager who has been presented with a petition or receives a petition under subsection (1)(b) is to table the petition at the next ordinary meeting of the council.
(3)  A petition is not to be tabled if –

  • it does not comply with section 57 ; or
  • it is defamatory; or
  • any action it proposes is unlawful.

(4)  The general manager is to advise the lodger of a petition that is not tabled the reason for not tabling it within 21 days after lodgment.

59. Petitions seeking public meetings

(1)  A petition under section 57 may request that a council hold a public meeting regarding the subject matter of the petition.
(2)  A council must hold a public meeting if the petition complies with section 57 and it is signed by whichever is the lesser of the following:

  • 5% of the electors in the municipal area;
  • 1 000 of those electors.

(3)  A petition that requests a public meeting is not to be made in respect of any matter relating to rates and charges in Part 9 if those rates or charges have been made for the current financial year. 

60. Action on petition

(1)  The general manager, by notice in writing to the person who lodged the petition, is to –

  • advise whether the petition complies with section 59 , if it seeks a public meeting; and
  • give reasonable notice of when the council is to consider the petition.

(2)  Within 42 days after the tabling of the petition –

  • the general manager is to advise the council at a council meeting whether the petition complies with section 59 , if applicable; and
  • the council, at that meeting, is to determine any action to be taken in respect of the petition.

(3)  If the petition complies with section 59 , or the council otherwise resolves to hold a public meeting regarding the subject matter of the petition, the council, within 30 days after the meeting referred to in subsection (2) , is to hold a public meeting to discuss the subject matter of the petition.

(4)  The council is to record in the minutes of the meeting referred to in subsection (2)  –

  • the subject matter of the petition; and
  • the number of signatories to the petition.

60A. Public meetings and submissions

(1)  Before holding a public meeting under section 59 or section 60(3) , a council, in a notice publicly displayed, must –

  • state the date on which, and the time and place at which, the public meeting is to be held; and
  • state the details of the subject matter; and
  • invite written submissions in relation to the subject matter to be lodged with the general manager.

(2)  A copy of the notice under subsection (1) is to be –

  • published on at least 2 occasions in a daily newspaper circulating in the municipal area; and
  • sent to the person who lodged the petition.

(3)  A submission must be lodged within 21 days after the first publication of the notice.
(4)  Any submission received is to be summarised by the general manager in a document, copies of which are to be made available to those attending the public meeting.
(5)  The minutes of the next ordinary meeting of the council following the public meeting are to record –

  • a summary of any submission received under this section; and
  • any decision made at a public meeting held under this section.
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