Speak in a Public Forum

• A maximum of two speakers “in support of the recommendation” and two speakers “in opposition of the recommendation” are allowed on any one agenda item per Council meeting. 
• Each speaker has five minutes to address the Council. The Councillors may ask questions after each speaker has finished, but speakers cannot ask questions of Council. 
• Applications to speak at the public forum must be received by 9am on the day of the public forum and must identify the item of business on the agenda of the Council meeting. Submissions need to be entered via our online form. 
• There are limited places available to speak during the public forum. All applications are considered, however not all applications are successful, depending on the number of received requests to speak.
• Speakers agree to adhere to all relevant adopted Council Codes, Policies and Procedures at all times.
• Members of the public attending a meeting of the Council:
• • must remain silent during the meeting unless invited by the chairperson to speak,
  • must not bring flags or signs, of any kind, or protest symbols to the meeting, and
  • must not disrupt the meeting. 

• Public Forums are held at 6pm on the Monday prior to the Thursday ordinary Council meeting. 
• Most Ordinary Council Meetings are held the third Thursday of the month commencing 2.00pm with the exception of January where there are no meetings due to the holiday period. 
• When your name is called, you may begin your address to the Council.   
• You are given five (5) minutes to address Council. This time is managed by the Chairperson.
• Councillors may ask you questions when you finish speaking. Your answers to each question is limited to two (2) minutes. You cannot ask questions back to the Councillors. 
• If you have any documentation, written, visual or audio, to support your presentation, please provide this to the Council by 12 noon the day of the public forum.   
• We ask speakers to be respectful and refrain from making defamatory comments. Council accepts no responsibility for any defamatory statements made by speakers.

The following will not be accepted to be addressed in the public forum (in accordance with the Code of Meeting Practice, clause 4.21):

• a submission by an applicant or objector in respect of development who made an oral submission at an on-site inspection,
• a submission by a person on a matter on which they have made submissions at two (2) previous open forums in the same calendar year, unless otherwise approved in writing by the General Manager,
• a submission relating to a current or pending procurement, contract negotiation or dispute resolution involving the Council,
• a submission on any matter which the General Manager or their delegate considers is inappropriate to be made at an open forum.