Registers

The City is required to maintain and publish certain registers to the City's website for public inspection in accordance with the Local Government Act 1995 (Act).

A hard copy of the registers listed below are also available for viewing by appointment at the Civic Centre.

Disclosures of Interest

The Act places specific obligations on elected members of council, local government employees and other persons involved in making decisions or giving advice on Council matters to act honestly and responsibly in carrying out their functions. Those obligations include the lodgement of written declarations and the verbal disclosure of financial interests at council and council committee meetings.

If the matter in which a council member or employee has an interest affecting impartiality is to be discussed at a council or committee meeting, the council member or employee is to disclose the interest either in a written notice given to the CEO before the meeting or verbally at the meeting immediately before the matter is discussed.

As well as ensuring that each disclosure is recorded in the minutes of the relevant meeting, the CEO is to keep a register as a consolidated record of the disclosures made. The register must include particulars of the nature of the interest disclosed and the extent of the interest where disclosed. 

Elected Member fees, expenses or allowances

In accordance with the Act (s5.96A(1)(i)) and Local Government (Administration) Regulations 1996 (r.29C(2)(f)) the CEO must publish the type, and the amount or value, of any fees, expenses or allowances paid to each council member during a financial year beginning on or after 1 July 2020.

Register of gifts 

Elected Members and CEO Gift Register

In accordance with the Act, council members (s5.87A) and CEOs (s5.87B) are required to disclose gifts that are received in their capacity as a council member or CEO and:

  • are valued over $300; or
  • are of a cumulative value that exceeds $300 where the gifts are received from the same donor in a 12-month period.

Additionally, a gift given by two or more related bodies corporate (as defined in s50 in the Corporations Act 2011 (Cth)) is considered to have been given by a single corporation.

Employee Gift Register

In accordance with the Local Government (Administration) Regulations 1996 (r.34B), employees are required to disclose gifts worth between $50 and $300 or are two or more gifts given to the employee by the same person within a period of six months that are in total worth between $50 and $300. Gifts over $300 are prohibited.

Local Government Election Gift Register 

In accordance with the Local Government (Elections) Regulations 1997 (r.30G), the CEO is to establish and maintain an electoral gift register. When the period under regulation 30C has concluded in relation to any election, the CEO is to remove any ‘disclosure of gifts’ forms relating to an unsuccessful candidate from the electoral gift register.

Contributions to Travel

In accordance with the Act (s.5.57b) a travel contribution is considered a gift. Travel contribution means a financial interest or other contribution made by one person to travel undertaken by another person.

Elected Members' Professional Development Register

The Elected Members' Professional Development Register details professional development courses completed by Elected Members' in accordance with the Local Government Act 1995 and the Elected Member Continuing Professional Development Policy.

Primary and Annual Returns Register

Section 5.75 and 5.76 of the Act set out the requirements for elected members, Chief Executive Officer and delegated employees to complete a Primary Return within three months of the start date or an annual return by the 31 August of the year.

Section 5.96A(1)(i) of the Act and 29C(2)(d) and (e) of the Local Government (Administration) Regulations 1996 requires the name of each council member and position of each employee who lodge a primary return or annual return for a financial year beginning on or after 1 July 2020 to be published on the City’s website.

Employees

Elected Members

Parking Cash-in-Lieu Register

 At the Council Meeting held on 14 December 2021, Council resolved to create a Parking Cash-in-Lieu Register to publicly record all payments of cash-in-lieu of onsite car parking made to the City.

Minor breaches

In accordance with section 5.105(1) of the Local Government Act 1995 (the Act) a council member commits a minor breach if the council member contravenes a rule of conduct; or contravenes a local law under the Act. Under section 5.121 of the Act, the complaints officer of each local government is required to maintain a register of complaints which records all complaints that result in a finding under section 5.110(2)(a) that a minor breach has occurred.

Elected Members contact with Developers and Lobbyists Register

At its meeting held 22 March 2022 Council adopted policy P700 Developers and Lobbyists. This policy provides guidance to Elected Members on disclosing their association with developers and lobbyists to ensure the highest levels of openness and transparency are maintained ensuring integrity in the Council’s decision making. Elected Members must record every instance of prescribed contact and provide that record to the Chief Executive Officer within 10 days after the contact with the developer or lobbyist.

Elected Members Disclosure of Political Party Associations Register

At its meeting held 24 May 2022 Council resolved to amend the Councillor Code of Conduct to require Elected Members and Committee Members to disclose their membership of or employment by a political party.

Elected Members Attendance at City Facilitated Committees/Groups

At its meeting held 31 October 2023 and 21 November 2023 the City called for nominations to appoint delegates (and deputy delegates where appropriate) to a number of City facilitated groups and committees. All appointments are for a period of 2 years with attendance recorded and published quarterly.