Public participation

Briefing Sessions are used to inform Elected Members on the items of business that are to be presented and discussed at the following Council Meeting.

No decisions are made at Briefing Sessions although Elected Members may request additional information, and/or may request alternative wording for motions to be prepared for consideration at the Council meeting.

Briefing Sessions are open to members of the public who may ask questions, make public statements and/or present a deputation at Briefing Sessions.

Council meetings are the formal decision-making forum of the Council. Council meetings are open to members of the public who may ask questions and/or make statements at Council meetings.

Important note: members of the public can access the audio recordings of the City’s Council meetings on the agendas and minutes page.

A deputation is a presentation by a member of the public regarding an item on the agenda in which the speaker/s has a direct interest.

Requirements for deputations

• Deputations must relate to an item on the Briefing Session agenda.
• The City will confirm if the deputation request has been approved by the Mayor and any time restrictions that may apply.
• Any visual presentations in support of an approved deputation (such as a PowerPoint presentation) must be received by the City by 12noon on the day of the Briefing Session. Confirmation of the deputation request being approved by the Mayor should first be received, prior to providing visual presentations.
• Other requirements for deputations are to be in accordance with clause 5.10 of the City's Meeting Procedures Local Law 2013 in respect of deputations to a committee.

How to make a deputation request

Complete the Deputation to briefing session request form

Deadline for deputation requests

Requests for deputations must be submitted by 5pm on the day prior to the scheduled Briefing Session.

Petitions inform the Council of the views of a section of the community and serve as one way of placing community concerns before Council.

How to prepare a petition

• Hard copy: To submit a hard copy petition, please download the Petitions of Electors Form (PDF) and follow the instructions provided.
• ePetitions: The City accepts online petitions through its ePetition facility on the myJoondalup Portal. The City cannot accept ePetitions from any other online platform including change.org.

Complete the e-Petition online form

Petition Requirements

Petitions are required to conform to a number of requirements relating to the format and the information presented. Electors are encouraged to use the Petition of Electors form (for Hard copy petitions) or the online portal for ePetitions. A petition must:

• Be prepared in the prescribed form (or similar to that form).
• Be addressed to the Council and forwarded to the Mayor, a Councillor or the Chief Executive Officer.
• Be made by at least 25 electors of the City of Joondalup. (An elector is a person who owns or occupies rateable property within the City of Joondalup and is eligible to vote in local government and State government elections).
• State the request on each page of the petition.
• Contain a summary of the reasons for the request.
• Contain the legible names, addresses and signatures of the electors making the request, and the date each elector signed.
• State the name of the person upon whom, and an address at which, notice to the petitioners can be given.
• Be respectful and temperate in its language.

Petition Request

Your petition must ask for something that the City of Joondalup can do. This is usually something that the City of Joondalup is responsible for and not something that is the responsibility of the State or Federal Government.

Your petition should also give a reason for why you are making the request. The reason provides information to help people understand what you are asking for and why. Your petition must also use good language. Your petition cannot:

• Be rude or say nasty things.
• Ask for or promote something illegal.
• Talk about violence or acts of violence.
• Be defamatory or framed in such a way to reflect adversely on an Elected Member, or City employee.

Tip: Make sure your request is clear and easy to understand. People are more likely to sign your petition if they can understand why you are making the request. The City does not check or change your spelling and grammar. Please make sure you are happy with the wording in your petition before you submit it.

Submitting a Petition

Lead petitioners can hand deliver hard copy petitions to the Chief Executive Officer at the City’s Administration Centre, or present it to a City of Joondalup Elected Member.

Clause 5.11 of the City’s Meeting Procedures Local Law details the decision-making process following the presentation of a petition to Council.

It is requested that Petitions are received at or prior to a Briefing Session, to allow the petition to be checked for validity in accordance with clause 5.11(1) of the City’s Meeting Procedures Local Law. If so, the Petition will be included on the agenda for the Council meeting immediately following the Briefing Session. Petitions received after a Briefing Session will be included on the agenda for the following month, except where the petition relates to an item on the agenda at that Council meeting.

The City has developed a set of Frequently Asked Questions (PDF) in relation to petitions to assist members of the public.

Support

For assistance in completing an online petition, please contact the City’s Governance Team on 9400 4000.

Public statements allow individuals to express their thoughts, concerns, or opinions on various topics relevant to the community.

Requirements

• A maximum of two minutes per public statement is provided to ensure maximum participation at a meeting.
• Written statements cannot be submitted beforehand.
• Public statements to a Briefing Session must relate to a matter listed on the Briefing Session Agenda.
• Public statements to a Council meeting can relate to any matter the City has responsibility for.

Important information

• Those persons wishing to make a public statement at a Council or Briefing Session can list their interest on the Register provided in the Civic Centre Foyer.
• Public statement time is allocated a maximum time of 15 minutes.
• The Mayor may invite registered persons to come forward. It is the Mayor’s discretion as to what order persons are called forward to make their statement.
• Time permitting, opportunity may also be offered to members of the public who have not registered their request and who may be in attendance.

The City encourages public participation in its decision-making process through public question time at Briefing Sessions or Council meetings.

Requirements for public questions

• Questions to a Briefing Session must relate to a matter listed on the Briefing Session Agenda.
• Questions to a Council meeting can relate to any matter the City has responsibility for.
• Up to five written questions can be lodged by residents and/or ratepayers of the City prior to a Briefing Session or a Council meeting.
• The deadline for prior written questions is 9am on the day immediately prior to the scheduled Briefing Session or Council meeting.

Important notes:

• Answers to prior written questions will, where practicable, be provided in hard copy at the relevant meeting. Alternatively, up to two verbal questions can be asked in person by a member of the public at the relevant meeting.

• Those persons wishing to ask a question verbally at a Council meeting or Briefing Session can list their interest on the Register provided in the Civic Centre Foyer. The Mayor may call persons registered to come forward in an order that allows the maximum opportunity for as many people as possible to address the meeting on the widest range of matters listed on the agenda.

• Public question time is allocated a minimum time of 15 minutes and may be extended twice in intervals of up to 10 minutes.

• Time permitting, opportunity may also be offered to members of the public who have not registered their request and who may be in attendance.

How to submit public questions

Questions need to be lodged via council.questions@joondalup.wa.gov.au

Deadline for public questions

Public questions must be submitted by 9am the day immediately prior to the relevant meeting.