How to Access Council Information
Under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (the GIPA Act) there are four ways you can access Council information.
1. Mandatory release
Under the GIPA Act, Council is required to publish specific open access information on our website, free of charge.
Information available under the mandatory open access requirements includes Council policies, register of contracts, media releases and annual reports.
Council's Publication Guide lists the Council information that is available free of charge on our website.
2. Proactive release
In addition to the information (open access information) that Council must make available under the GIPA Act free of charge on our website, Council also makes a range of other information publicly available. Some of this information is available on our website free of charge and some information is available in other formats for a small charge.
Council's Publication Guide lists the type of information that Council has proactively chosen to make available and how access will be provided.
3. Informal release
Under the GIPA Act, Council can release other information in response to an informal request. Council may impose conditions of the release of such information. There is no charge for making an informal request for information.
Council's Publication Guide lists the type of Council information that is available for informal release.
Complete the form linked below make an informal information request.
4. Formal release
Under the GIPA Act, Council can release information in response to a formal access application. This is the last resort for obtaining Council information if it is not available any other way. A formal access application is similar to a Freedom of Information application under the old access to information regime in NSW.
There is a $30 application fee for a formal access application and a processing charge of $30 per hour.
Council's Publication Guide lists the type of Council information that requires a formal access application.
Complete the form linked below to make a formal access application.
Unsure how to get the information you want?
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Step 1: As a first step you should search this website (using the search box at the top of this page) to see if it is already available.
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Step 2: Check the Publication Guide to see if it is open access information. The Publication Guide will tell you how to obtain the information.
- Step 3: If the information is not routinely available (i.e. not open access information) you need to make an informal information request or a formal access application.
If you need further assistance, call Council's Citizens' Service Centre on 9335 2222.
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