Public access to information

Public access to information
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New rights to information are designed to meet community expectations of more open and transparent government. Public access to information canterbury bankstown GIPA act New rights to information are designed to meet community expectations of more open and transparent government.  
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​​​​​​​​Government Information (Public Access) Act (GIPA)

On 1 July 2010, new legislation came into effect, replacing the former Freedom of Information Act and Section 12 of the Local Government Act. 

This legislation requires Council to proactively release information where possible, acknowledging the right of members of the public to have access to our information providing there is no overriding public interest against disclosure.  At all times, the presumption is in favour of disclosure.

The GIPA Act:

  • ​Creates rights to information that are designed to meet community expectations of more open and transparent government; and
  • Encourages government agencies to proactively​ release government information.

The Access to Information Policy outlines Council's principles regarding public access to information. 

The Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 provides for Council information to be released in four ways:

  1. ​Mandatory Disclosure
    This information is made available on Council’s website and is available free of charge, for example Council policies, meeting agendas and minutes, media releases and annual reports etc - Open Access Information (Sec 18 GIPA 2009 and Schedule 1 Part 2 of GIPA Regulations). ​

  2. Voluntary Disclosure
    Council is encouraged to make as much information of public interest as possible publicly available, free of charge or at minimal cost. Exmaples include frequently requested information or information of public interest. ​

  3. Informal Release
    Other information held is authorised to be released in response to an informal request, subject to any reasonable conditions that Council may wish to impose. If you are enquiring about property related matters or need to contact the owners of a property for a dividing fence or a tree issue , please use the following form Access for Information Form (Open Access - Informal Application).

  4. Formal Access
    The release of all other information not made available by either mandatory, proactive or informal release can be made by way of a Application for Information (Formal Application). Standard fees and charges and time frames are applicable for such applications. Examples include personal information relating to a third party where consultation is required or where information is of a confidential nature. 
    Application for Information (Formal Application) (Online form)

    Internal Review Form (Fo​rmal Appli​cation)
    You have the right to request a review of certain decisions made by government agencies about the release of information under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA Act). ​ You have 20 working days from the date of the decision to ask for an internal review.  Standard fees and charges and time frames apply.​
    Internal Review Form (Fo​rmal Appli​cation) (Online form)

​​​Open Access Information at Council

Information currently available to the public free of charge by way of open access (other than for photocopying) is as follows:-

OPEN ACCESS INFORMATION

 Agency Information Guide S.18(a)

Policy Documents S.18(c)

 Disclosure Log (former Bankstown City Council)

 Disclosure Log (former Canterbury City Council) S.18(d)

 Disclosure Log (Canterbury-Bankstown Council)


 Contracts Register (former Bankstown City Council)
 Contracts Register (former Canterbury City Council) S.18(e)

 

Open Access Information Not Released to the Public Due to an Overriding Public Interest Against Disclosure

Government information prescribed by the GIPA R​egulations

1. Information about local authority

(1) Information contained in current version and most recent previous version of the following records is prescribed as open access information:

 (a) C​ode of Conduct
Code of Conduct - Procedures for the Administration of the Model Code of Conduct

 (b) Code of Meeti​ng Practice

 (c) Annual R​eport

 (d) Annual Financial Reports

2019-20 Annual Financial Statement
2018-19 Annual Financial Statement
2017-18 Annual Financial Statement
2016-17 Annual Financial​ Statement 

Former Bankstown City Council

2015/16 Annual Financial Statements
2014/15 Annual Financial Statements
2013/14 Annual Financial Statements
2012/13 Annual Financial Statements

Former Canterbury City Council

2015/16 Annual Financial Statements

 (e) Auditor’s Report

 Included in Annual Report

 (f) Management Plan

Bankstown Community Plan 2023
Delivery Progra​m 2018​-2021
Operational Plan 2019-20
Workforce Strate​gy 2018-20​21​
Asset Management Strategy 2019-2029
Long Term Financial Strategy 

 (g) EEO Management Plan

 (h) Councillor Expenses and Fac​ilities Policy

 (i) Annual reports of bodies
     exercising delegated
     Council functions

 No bodies exist which have delegated council functions

 (j) Any Codes referred to in
     the Local Government Act

Application Services
Planning Controls and Policies

 

(2) Information contained in following records (whenever created) is prescribed as open access information:

 (a) Returns of Interest of Councillors,
      Designated Persons and Delegates

For current year returns, click here

For historical returns, complete this form and submit to Council Open Access Application

 (b) Agendas and Business Papers of Council
     and Committee Meetings
     (not including business papers for matters
      considered when part of a meeting is
      closed to the public)

These include current year and previous 7 years

 Requests for business papers prior to those on the
 website require an Open Access Application -
 Complete form and submit to Council

 (c) Minutes of Council and Committee Meetings
     Please note that, in the case of any part of a
     meeting that is closed to the public, the
     Minutes are restricted to the resolutions and
     recommendations of the meeting

These include current year and previous 7 years

 Requests for business papers prior to those on the
 website require an Open Access Application 

 (d) Departmental investigation reports presented
      at a meeting of Council in accordance with
      section 433

 As of 1 September 2016 there has not been
 any investigations made

(3) Information contained in the current version of the following records is prescribed as open access information:

 (a) Lan​​d Register

 For enquiries relating to the Land Register please
 contact the Public Officer on 9707 9531

 (b) Regist​er ​of ​I​n​vestments​

 (c) Regist​er of Delegation

 (d) Register of graffiti removal work kept in accordance with section 13 Graffiti Control Act 2008

Open Access Application

 (e) Declarations of Disclosures of Political Donations

Website – NSW Election Funding Authority

 (f) Register of V​oti​n​g ​on Plann​​​ing Matters (from October 2008 to present)

 

2. Plans and Policies

Information contained in the current version and the most recent previous version of the following records is prescribed as open access information:

 (a) Local Orders Policy

 (b) Plans of Management for Community Land

 (c) Environmental Planning Instruments, Development Control Plans and Contribution Plans under Section 94A and 94B of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979

3. Information about Development Applications

(1) Information contained in the following records (whenever created) is prescribed as open access information:

 (a) Development applications (within the meaning of the
     Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979)
     and associated documents

     OIC Knowledge Update: Copyright and Compliance

Website – DA Tracking Online

 Associated documents include:

 (i) home warranty documents
 (ii) construction certificates
 (iii) occupation certificates
 (iv) structural certification documents
 (v) Council planner/assessor reports
 (vi) Submissions received
      (Open Access Application – 
       Complete form and submit to Council)
 (vii) heritage consultant reports
 (viii) tree inspection consultant reports
 (ix) acoustic consultant reports
 (x) land contamination consultant reports

Please note that these documents may be subject to Copyright and will not be available on the DA Tracker. Please ask to view documents at Council.

 (b) Records of decisions on development applications

 Website – DA Tracking Online

 (c) Documents excluded from (a) above

 See 2(a) and 2(b) below

 Associated documents do not include:
 (a) plans and specifications of residential parts of a proposed building other than heights and external configuration
 (b) commercial information if this will prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied it or reveal a trade secret

(2) This clause does not apply to so much of the information referred to in sub clause (1) (a) as consists of:

 (a) the plans and specifications for any residential parts of a proposed building, other than plans that merely show its height and its external configuration in relation to the site on which it is proposed to be erected, or

 Open Access Application -
 Complete form and submit to Council

 (b) commercial information, if the information would be likely to prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied it or to reveal a trade secret

 Open Access Application

 (3) A local authority must keep the record referred to in
subclause (1) (c)

Council keeps a record of all informal and formal GIPA applications including those for excluded information under this clause

4. Approvals, Orders and Other Documents

Information contained in following records (whenever created) is prescribed as open access information:

 (a) Applications for Approvals under Part 1 of Chapter 7 of the LGA and any associated documents received in relation to these applications (S.68 applications)

 Open Access Application -
 Complete form and submit to Council

 (b) Applications for Approvals under any other Act and associated documents received in relation to these applications

 Open Access Application -
 Complete form and submit to Council

 (c) Records of approval or refusals, variations from local policies and reasons for variations, and decisions made on ​appeal concerning approvals

 Open Access Application -
 Complete form and submit to Council

 (d) Orders given under Part 2 of Chapter 7 of the LGA and any reasons given under s.136

 Open Access Application -
 Complete form and submit to Council

 (e) Orders given under any other Act

 Open Access Application -
 Complete form and submit to Council

 (f) Records of Building certificates under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979

 Open Access Application -
 Complete form and submit to Council

 (g) Plans of land proposed to be compulsorily acquired by Council

 Open Access Application -
 Complete form and submit to Council

 (h) Compulsory acquisition notices

 Open Access Application -
 Complete form and submit to Council

 (i) Leases and Licences for use of public land classified as community land

 Open Access Application

​(j) Accessing Adjoining Owner Property Information

Applications can be made to council using the following form to provide adjoining property ownership details for the following reasons:  
​Request for Neighbour/Adjoining Owner Details (Online form)

 

Pecuniary Interest Returns

​Councillors

2021-22 Pecuniary Interest Return – Councillor Charbel Abouraad
2021-22 Pecuniary Interest Return – Councillor Sazeda Akter
2021-22 Pecuniary Interest Return – Councillor Khal Asfour
2021-22 Pecuniary Interest Return – Councillor Christopher Cahill
2021-22 Pecuniary Interest Return – Councillor Barbara Coorey
2021-22 Pecuniary Interest Return – Councillor Linda Downey
2021-22 Pecuniary Interest Return – Councillor Bilal El-Hayek
2021-22 Pecuniary Interest Return – Councillor Rachelle Harika
2021-22 Pecuniary Interest Return – Councillor Charlie Ishac
2021-22 Pecuniary Interest Return – Councillor Jessie Nguyen
2021-22 Pecuniary Interest Return – Councillor Clare Raffan
2022-23 Pecuniary Interest Return – Councillor Karl Saleh
2021-22 Pecuniary Interest Return – Councillor Bhadra Waiba
2021-22 Pecuniary Interest Return – Councillor David Walsh
2022-23 Pecuniary Interest Return – Councillor George Zakhia

​Designated Officers

2021-2 Pecuniary Interest Return – Chief Executive Officer - Matthew Stewart
2021-22 Pecuniary Interest Return – Director City Assets - Anthony Vangi
2021-22 Pecuniary Interest Return – Director City Future - James Carey
2021-22 Pecuniary Interest Return – Director Community Services - Graeme Beattie
2021-22 Pecuniary Interest Return – Director Corporate - Ken Manoski
2021-22 Pecuniary Interest Return – Director People and Performance - Simone Robards
2022-23 Pecuniary Interest Return - Director Planning - Andrew Sharp

​Local Planning Panel

2021-22 Pecuniary Interest Return – Grant Christmas
2021-22 Pecuniary Interest Return – Linda Eisler
2021-22 Pecuniary Interest Return – David Epstein
2021-22 Pecuniary Interest Return – Luke Foley
2021-22 Pecuniary Interest Return – Anthony Hudson
2021-22 Pecuniary Interest Return – Stephen Kerr
2021-22 Pecuniary Interest Return – Peter Mentor
2021-22 Pecuniary Interest Return – Linda Pearson
2021-22 Pecuniary Interest Return – Barbara Perry
2021-22 Pecuniary Interest Return – Ian Stromborg
2021-22 Pecuniary Interest Return – Inaam Tabbaa
2021-22 Pecuniary Interest Return – Richard Thorp
2021-22 Pecuniary Interest Return – Steven Tuntevski