We recognise the rights of the public to request information from Council under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA Act).
 

Open Access

Under the GIPA Act, we are required to publish information on our website unless there is an overriding public interest against disclosing this information. 
 

Proactive Release

The GIPA Act requires us to proactively release information through press releases, publications and public notices in order to promote an open and transparent organisation.
 

Informal Release

Some information is not appropriate to show on Council’s website, for example, historical Development Application information. This information can be accessed by the community without the need to make a formal request. 

To apply for informal access to Council documents, please complete the Informal Access Application Form or contact us for more information.
 

Formal Release

If you are seeking information, which is not available on the website and is not routinely provided by Council, you can formally apply for access to this information.

To apply for formal access to Council documents, please complete the Formal Access Application Form or contact us for more information.
 
Formal requests for information are subject to fees, including a $30.00 application fee plus possible processing costs.
 

Rights of Review

If you wish to request a review of a decision about your formal access application, you can apply to Council for an internal review which incurs a $40.00 fee.

You also have the option to request an external review by the Information and Privacy Commission NSW or the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT).
 

Accessing Property Owner Information

We only release property owner details if it relates to a business or corporation. In compliance with privacy laws, we do not release individual property owner details, unless a neighbour is seeking property owner details for the purpose of resolving a neighbour issue relating to a dividing fence or overhanging tree.

You can apply for individual property ownership information from NSW Land Registry Services.
 

Copyright Restrictions

Information held by Georges River Council is subject to the Copyright Act 1968. The Copyright Act does not permit materials covered by copyright (e.g. DA architect plans and other specialist reports) to be copied or published unless the owner of the copyright has given consent. Council will make available documents to inspect, but if there is no evidence of owner consent, Council cannot provide copies of copyright materials.

The Information and Privacy Commission released a fact sheet. The GIPA Act and Copyright December 2019 which sets out copyright advice to local government.
 

More Information

If you would like more information regarding the functions of Council, how to interact with Council or how to access information from Council, please refer to Council's Information Guide.
 

Useful Links

Information and Privacy Commission