Public Participation at Council Meetings

The community can engage with Council through our meeting processes in four ways - Petitions, Deputations, Presentations and Public Question Time.

More information on each option is available below and in Council's Standing Orders for Council Meetings.

  • A petition is a formal written request signed by 10 or more people that can be used to lobby Council.

    If the matter relates to normal Council operations, you may more easily choose to log a customer service request on Council's website, via the mobile application Snap, Send, Solve or by contacting Council's customer service team especially for items like:

    • road and pothole repairs
    • animal nuisances
    • attention to trees on public land

     

    Matters for petitions

    Petitions are generally used to show community support for a matter that is under Council's control. A petition may request, for example:

    • the alteration of a local law
    • the reconsideration of an administrative decision
    • consideration of new infrastructure such as pathways, roads, playgrounds etc

     

    Petitions can also be used as a form of submission on active development applications during the public notification stage. Please refer to Have your say on applications to learn more about making a submission on a development application.

    The petitioning process

    Under Council's Standing Orders a petition will not be debated by Councillors at the Ordinary meeting when it is presented. The Chief Executive Officer will generally be requested to refer the petition to the relevant Council Department who will investigate the matter and respond to the principal petitioner.

    Rules for preparing petitions

    Council will accept petitions in paper form or electronic form (e-petitions).

    Paper petitions should:

    • clearly state the issue and action requested of Council
    • clearly state that the petition seeks to be presented to the whole of Council
    • be respectful and not contain any offensive language or content
    • be signed by a minimum of ten (10) people
    • include the name and contact details of the principal petitioner, being the person who is responsible for organising the petition
    • state the purpose of the petition on the top of each page

     

    Electronic (e-petitions) should:

    • clearly state the issue and action requested of Council
    • clearly state that the petition seeks to be presented to the whole of Council
    • be respectful and not contain any offensive language or content
    • be responded to by a minimum of ten (10) people
    • clearly state how support for the petition was obtained (eg via reply email confirmation, or a confirm click in a web interface) and include a paper copy of the email or web interface used to obtain support for the petition
    • contain the signature and contact details of a principal petitioner and written confirmation of how many people have agreed to support the petition
    • contain a list that includes the names and suburb location of all people who support the petition

     

    How to lodge a petition

    You may choose to either provide the petition to a Councillor, email to mail@noosa.qld.gov.au, or post to:

    The Chief Executive Officer
    Noosa Council
    PO Box 141
    Tewantin Qld 4565

  • Deputations are where an individual or a small group (of no more than 3 people) address the Council on issues that are important to them. The address can be on any topic, it does not need to be in relation to an item on that meeting's agenda. Deputations from the public are welcome at any of Council's Ordinary meetings and Committee meetings. Speaking time is generally limited to 15 minutes.

    How to apply

    If you wish to make a deputation to a Council meeting please complete the Request for Deputation Form and forward it to the Chief Executive Officer at mail@noosa.qld.gov.au, via post to PO Box 141, Tewantin Q 4565 or deliver to the Council office at 9 Pelican Street, Tewantin. Applications must be received at least 7 business days before the meeting. Applications will be assessed and responded to in writing.

  • A presentation is the acceptance of a gift or an award by the Council on behalf of the local government or the community. A presentation may be made at any of Council's Ordinary meetings or Committee meetings.

    How to apply

    If you wish to make a presentation to a Council meeting please complete the Request for Presentation Form and forward it to the Chief Executive Officer at mail@noosa.qld.gov.au, via post to PO Box 141, Tewantin Q 4565 or deliver to the Council office at 9 Pelican Street, Tewantin. Applications must be received at least 7 business days before the meeting. Applications will be assessed and responded to in writing.

  • A Public Question Time session is available at each Ordinary meeting of Council and will be conducted in accordance with Council's Public Question Time Guideline. Public Question Time is not intended to replace the existing engagement mechanisms that Council has in place but is one way for residents and ratepayers to raise genuine questions about a matter within the jurisdiction of Council.

    How to apply

    If you wish to raise a question at an Ordinary meeting of Council please complete the Public Question Time Application Form and forward it to the Chief Executive Officer at mail@noosa.qld.gov.au, via post to PO Box 141, Tewantin Q 4565 or deliver to the Council office at 9 Pelican Street, Tewantin. Applications must be received at least 3 business days before the meeting. Applications will be assessed and responded to in writing.