Access to Information

The Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA Act), establishes a comprehensive system for public access to government information.

The Act aims to:

  • Make government information more accessible to the public by requiring government agencies to make certain information freely available.
  • Encourage government agencies to release as much information as possible.
  • Give the public an enforceable right to access government information.
  • Restrict access to information only when there is an overriding public interest against disclosure.

Under the GIPA Act and the GIPA Regulation 2018, our Council makes information available to the public, provided there is no overriding public interest against doing so.

You can access Council information in the following ways:

Under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA Act) and the Government Information (Public Access) Regulation 2018 (GIPA Regulation), we are required to make a range of open access information publicly available, unless there is an overriding public interest against disclosure of the information.

Information that is currently available to the public on our website includes:

Information about development applications with dates prior to those on our DA Tracker can be accessed by completing our Informal Request for Access to Information form.

If you have not been able to obtain the information you require through Council’s website, you can complete an Informal Request for Access to Information form.

Informal applications are processed within 20 working days. Where applicable, we may charge labour and photocopying fees for informal requests in accordance with our Fees and Charges

If you have not been able to obtain the information you require through Council’s website or an informal application, you can lodge a Formal Access to Information application.

For example, a formal application will be required if you are seeking information that may be:

  • commercially or legally sensitive;
  • personal information of another person;
  • confidential information.

Applications are determined within 20 working days.  We may also extend the decision time by up to 15 working days if we need to consult with a third party or retrieve an archived record.

An application fee of $30 is payable with your application. You may also be asked to pay a charge for processing the application at a rate of $30 per hour. The $30 application fee also counts towards the first hour of processing.

The Information and Privacy Commission (IPC) oversees the public access to government information.

To find out more about your right to information, you can access the IPC website at www.ipc.nsw.gov.au.

The GIPA Act and Copyright

Section 6(6) of the GIPA Act provides that compliance with mandatory release requirements under the GIPA Act and the GIPA Regulation, does not require or permit an agency to make information available in any way that infringes copyright. This means that if providing access to open access information by, for example, providing a copy of a record would breach copyright, then access in this form cannot be provided.

Copyright may be infringed by using copyright material without permission of the copyright owner. Using copyright material can include:

  • reproducing the work (including by photocopying, copying by hand, filming, recording and scanning);
  • making the work public for the first time;
  • communicating the work to the public (for example, via email, broadcasting or the internet).

The above uses are exclusive rights of the copyright owner and anyone who wants to use someone else’s material in any of these ways generally needs permission of the owner. The Australian Copyright Council provides advice about this.

There are some practical ways to achieve release even if the information contains some information subject to copyright. For example, the GIPA Act enables information to be deleted from a record. Also, providing a reasonable opportunity to inspect a record containing the information is also a practical step to ensure access to information that is subject to copyright. Providing access in these ways does not infringe copyright because access by inspection does not involve reproduction of a copyrighted work.

Agency Information Guide

2020 – 2021 AGENCY INFORMATION GUIDE

This Information Guide has been produced by Hunter’s Hill Council in accordance with Section 20 of the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 and is reviewed annually.

The purpose of the document is to provide members of the community, Council staff, and the public with information concerning:

  • The structure and functions of Hunter’s Hill Council;
  • The way in which the functions of Hunter’s Hill Council affect members of the public;
  • The avenues available to the public to participate in policy development and the exercise of Hunter’s Hill Council’s functions;

The type of information available from Hunter’s Hill Council and how this information is made available.

Disclosures of Interest

Councillors and designated staff are required to disclose any matters that may involve a conflict of interest between their private business and personal interests and their council duties.

These disclosures are recorded in a Disclosure of Interests Register maintained by Council.

Below are links to our Returns of Interest for the period 1 July 2019 – 30 June 2020. Pursuant to the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 NSW, Hunters Hill Council determined that there was an overriding public interest against disclosure of certain personal information contained in the Returns of Disclosure. Accordingly, these items have been redacted and include signatures and personal addresses.

Upon appointment, Hunter’s Hill Council will make available for inspection its Register of original copies of Councillor and Staff Returns of Declarations of Interest.

2021-2022

 

2020-2021

Land Register

In accordance with Section 53 of the Local Government Act 1993 Council is required to keep a register of all land owned by or controlled by our organisation.
Click here to view our Land Register

 

Delegations Register

Pursuant to Schedule 1 (Part 1 Information about local authority, Section 3(c)) of the Government Information (Public Access) Regulation 2018.  Note that Sub-Delegations may be amended from time to time, subject to approval from the General Manager.  Council will make every effort to upload the latest version of the Sub-Delegations at the earliest possible opportunity.  Delegations to the General Manager and the Mayor will only be amended pursuant to a resolution by Council.
Click here to view our Delegations Register

Back to the top

Hunter’s Hill Council

22 Alexandra Street, Hunters Hill NSW 2110
PO Box 21, Hunters Hill NSW 2110
Tel: (02) 9879 9400
E: customerservice@huntershill.nsw.gov.au
ABN: 75 570 316 011