Councillor Interaction with Developers Policy

Consultation has concluded

UPDATE

Based on engagement feedback, the following key amendments were incorporated into the Policy:

  • Clarification of exempt activities and persons
  • Limiting the policy to only planning matters
  • Making the policy applicable only to Councillors and not Council staff
  • Removal of the requirement for lobbyists needing to be registered on the Register of Lobbyists maintained by the Victorian Public Sector Commission
  • Minor text and formatting amendments which did not change the intention

The revised policy was adopted at the 24 July 2023 Council Meeting and can be viewed here.

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We invite you to provide feedback on the Draft Interaction with Developers and Lobbyists Policy. This Policy aims to increase transparency in Council’s dealings with groups and organisations seeking to influence decisions. 

Lobbying across all levels of the Australian government has recently entered the media and public spotlight. We believe it is in the public interest that lobbying is fair and does not undermine public confidence in fair and transparent decision-making.    

We developed the Draft Policy in response to a recommendation from Council’s internal auditors and to avoid actual or perceived conflicts of interest caused by contact with developers and lobbyists. 

The Policy aims to ensure that these interactions are conducted according to the highest standards of transparency, integrity and honesty by introducing several conditions: 

  • All third parties contacting Council to influence any decisions must advise Council that they are lobbyists, developers or their employees or contractors 

  • All lobbyists must also be listed on the Register of Lobbyists 

  • All third parties seeking to influence Council decisions should not approach Councillors directly. Contact should be made via Council’s standard contact methods by emailing customer.service@whitehorse.vic.gov.au or telephoning 9262 6333 

  • Councillors and council officers must lodge details of their contact with developers and lobbyists in a publicly available register within 7 days of the meeting 

  • Council employees or Councillors must disclose any conflicts of interest 

  • Council staff or Councillors must not accept or offer any gifts from/to lobbyists and developers

Your feedback on this draft policy will be included in a Council report, and it will help Council to make an informed decision.

UPDATE

Based on engagement feedback, the following key amendments were incorporated into the Policy:

  • Clarification of exempt activities and persons
  • Limiting the policy to only planning matters
  • Making the policy applicable only to Councillors and not Council staff
  • Removal of the requirement for lobbyists needing to be registered on the Register of Lobbyists maintained by the Victorian Public Sector Commission
  • Minor text and formatting amendments which did not change the intention

The revised policy was adopted at the 24 July 2023 Council Meeting and can be viewed here.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We invite you to provide feedback on the Draft Interaction with Developers and Lobbyists Policy. This Policy aims to increase transparency in Council’s dealings with groups and organisations seeking to influence decisions. 

Lobbying across all levels of the Australian government has recently entered the media and public spotlight. We believe it is in the public interest that lobbying is fair and does not undermine public confidence in fair and transparent decision-making.    

We developed the Draft Policy in response to a recommendation from Council’s internal auditors and to avoid actual or perceived conflicts of interest caused by contact with developers and lobbyists. 

The Policy aims to ensure that these interactions are conducted according to the highest standards of transparency, integrity and honesty by introducing several conditions: 

  • All third parties contacting Council to influence any decisions must advise Council that they are lobbyists, developers or their employees or contractors 

  • All lobbyists must also be listed on the Register of Lobbyists 

  • All third parties seeking to influence Council decisions should not approach Councillors directly. Contact should be made via Council’s standard contact methods by emailing customer.service@whitehorse.vic.gov.au or telephoning 9262 6333 

  • Councillors and council officers must lodge details of their contact with developers and lobbyists in a publicly available register within 7 days of the meeting 

  • Council employees or Councillors must disclose any conflicts of interest 

  • Council staff or Councillors must not accept or offer any gifts from/to lobbyists and developers

Your feedback on this draft policy will be included in a Council report, and it will help Council to make an informed decision.