Integrated Compliance & Enforcement Policy

Karen Finzel0:00

Are we good? No, not. Yes, we're on. A good afternoon and welcome to the Services & Organisation Committee meeting Tuesday 6th of May 2025 commencing at 1:34pm. I'd like to acknowledge the Noosa Council proudly acknowledges and respects Australia's First Nations people and their deep and abiding connection to this country. We recognise the Kabi Kabi people as the Traditional Custodians of the lands and waters of the Noosa area and offer gratitude. To careful custodianship of this unique environment over thousands of years. I note that all Councillors are in attendance and in the observers area we have Councillor Lorentson, welcome, and Councillor Tom Wegener. Can we please have a confirmation for the Minutes? Moved by Councillor Wilkie. Do we have a seconder? Seconded by Councillor Phillips. We'll take it to the vote. Is there any comments? All in favour? And that's unanimous. Thank you. We're up to item number four for presentations. There are no presentations? No. There are no deputations? We're moving into item number seven, Reports for consideration of the Committee. We're moving into item 7.1, Integrated Compliance & Enforcement Policy. There has been a request to move this the General Committee for significance of the matter. However, I will invite the staff to give us an overview. And welcome to the table.

Yeah, so Richard and Bronwyn, business integration improvement officer with me. So we're doing a bit of a duo today. Yeah, so look all Councillors, I'll just give you run through of the policy now. So the purpose of this report is to give Council the decision to adopt an Integrated Compliance & Enforcement Policy. The aims to enhance governance and provides a clear framework for Council to administer its regulatory responsibilities in a safe, fair, unbiased, balanced, consistent and transparent manner. Noosa Council is responsible for administering a range of laws and regulations as set out in the Local Government Act 2009, including Council's local law and various other Federal and state legislation. The laws are intended to govern community activities to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the community, and that harm, including environmental harm, is prevented. Working with over 60 pieces of legislation, Council's compliance teams manage a diverse range of compliance activities including, but not limited to, building and plumbing, development and land use matters, environmental matters, animal management, public health and food licensing, parking and a range of local laws. The policy seeks to establish the best practice compliance approaches by applying the following nine principles, which are outlined in the report to its regulatory activities, decision making and enforcement actions. It ensures legal compliance, protects public safety and welfare, promotes consistency and fairness, enhances transparency and accountability, and aids in the efficient resource management by prioritising enforcement actions based on risk and impact to our environment and the community. The policy follows a tiered compliance model, with enforcement actions escalating based on the relevant factors to ensure a fair and just process. For officers to respond appropriately on each case. Enforcement actions may include voluntary self-compliance, educational and advisory actions, through to formal compliance and remedial actions, penalty infringement notices and prosecutions for the most serious of offences. When determining the appropriate action, Council considers factors such as risk level, nature and severity of the breach, likelihood of compliance, public interest and community impact and also legal considerations. The policy was developed in collaboration with our governance branch, managers and staff and representatives of our internal compliance reference working similar policies are common amongst many local and state government authorities that undertake compliance and regulatory activities the policy also addresses an existing policy gap that aims to improve governance and community awareness and address risks related to. Consistency and decision-making and transparency and compliance and enforcement matters and happy to take any questions from Councillors thank you.

Tom Wegener39:57

I know this is the Integrated Compliance & Enforcement Policy but a lot of the issues that are raised on this come from neighbourhood disputes. And neighbour disputes and we're I think when we talked about this in the meetings we actually talked about maybe that should be a part of the program as well like dealing you're trying to cut off the dispute early because it's just a neighbourhood neighbour dispute that evolves into these complaints and things and they try to defuse hmm is that possible for Council to get involved in that speech or is that outside of the scope of the meeting?