Members of the public may address a council meeting on any subject of concern or interest to the city. The number of people who may address each meeting is limited.
Council has established the following procedures for deputations.
Deputations by members of the public
As a standing practice the council provides an opportunity for members of the public to request the opportunity to make a statement at council meetings.
- Council meetings (excluding closed meetings) are recorded and available on the Agenda and Minutes webpage.
- Members of the public are, at the invitation of the chairperson of the meeting, permitted to make a statement at any ordinary meeting of council provided the statement does not relate to a topic which is the subject of a motion of revocation which is to be discussed at the meeting which they address.
- A maximum of fifteen minutes is to be set aside for public participation at ordinary council meetings.
- Not more than five members of the public are to be permitted to address the council at any one meeting.
- The duration of any statement is not to exceed three minutes.
- Any member of the public wishing to make a statement sis to make an application in writing, to the Chief Executive Officer by lunch-time (12 noon) on the Friday preceding the meeting.
- The subject of any statement can relate to a matter currently before, or at some future stage to come before the council, or any other matter of general relevance to the interests of the city.
- The speaker is required to follow the direction of the chairperson in relation to how and when they may make the statement.
- When the speaker has been invited forward by the chairperson they are to introduce themselves to the meeting, stating where they are from (town or suburb) before commencing their statement.
- The speaker is reminded that council meetings are open forums and unlike state and commonwealth parliaments these meetings do not have protection from parliamentary privilege. This means any statement made will need to take into account the rights of other persons.
- At the meeting the speaker is fully responsible to ensure that the statement is accurate and that the statement is not defamatory, does not disclose any confidential information or personal information and does not disclose any commercial-in-confidence information.
- Should the statement be defamatory or disclose confidential information or personal information, or disclose commercial-in-confidence information then the speaker agrees that they will be fully responsible for any issues which follow from the statement.
The deputation application form (PDF) must be lodged at the Council Offices or emailed to clarence@ccc.tas.gov.au no later than midday on the Friday prior to the meeting.
Petitions
The Local Government Act 1993 sets out specific requirements for lodgement of petitions. Petitions lodged that do not comply with these requirements are not able to be tabled at council meetings.
A series of guidelines has been prepared to assist you in ensuring that your petition is in accordance with the requirements.