Access to information

Access to information

Documents Registers and disclosure Returns of interest Privacy Copyright

Members of the public have a right to access certain government information under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA).

Read more about accessing NSW government information on the Information and Privacy Commission website.

How you can access Council information

When asking Council for information, we'll either direct you to where the information is located or ask you to submit an application.

You can complete an application to:

  • request access to information
  • amend a request that you have previously submitted, or
  • withdraw a request for information.

You will be offered the opportunity to arrange an appointment to inspect the information at Council's Murwillumbah Administration Office. Charges for copies of information may apply.

In limited circumstances, you may be required to lodge a formal access application. A fee is payable on application and additional processing charges may apply.

Development applications

Visit the DA tracker and property search website for development application information. (Applications lodged between 1 July 2009 and 1 December 2016 only have basic information.)

Further information can be accessed using the process above.

Agency information guide

The GIPA Agency Information Guide(PDF, 300KB) describes the structure and functions of Council, the types of information we hold and how people can access it.

Council documents

Documents about Council that have been tabled in Parliament:

Council policies

Council is required by legislation to have certain policies available to the public.

Policies are reviewed at least once within each Council term and amended or deleted as required. Any changes to policies must be adopted by Council.

See Council policies.

Council general documents

Registers and disclosure

The following registers are available on our website or informally through a Right to Information Officer:

Disclosure log

Agencies need to set up a disclosure log showing what information has been released in response to formal access applications, when it was released and whether other members of the public can also have access to it.

Formal access application log

Tweed Shire Council formal access application determinations under the GIPA.

385 Result(s) Found

Reference number 445

30 October 2025

Information requested:

N/A.

Access:

Application invalid. Application Form not submitted.

Reference number 443

27 October 2025

Information requested:

DA13/0712 and DA17/0347 pertaining to daytime noise limits and undetermined Occupation Certificate for an acoustic barrier as condition of approval.

Access:

Application withdrawn.

Reference number 444

23 October 2025

Information requested:

3220 Kyogle Road, Mount Burrell. What structures are Council Approved. Also can this site have a shop and or service station (fuel).

Access:

Access granted to 1x redacted document, and 5x unredacted documents.

Reference number 442

20 October 2025

Information requested:

History of 14 Crescent Street, Cudgen, particularly related to border fencing and retainer walls.

Access:

Access granted to 23x redacted documents.

Reference number 441

15 October 2025

Information requested:

Approvals for stages 10 to 12 of the Terranora Village subdivision along with the corresponding engineer's reports.

Access:

Access granted to 6x unredacted documents.

Reference number 440

30 September 2025

Information requested:

Information regarding Homestead and Hacienda Holiday Parks.

Access:

Application invalid. Application fee not paid.

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Register of Government contracts

The Council Contracts Register(PDF, 114KB) contains information on those contracts to which Council is a party and valued at or over $150,000. The contracts register applies to Class 1, 2 and 3 contracts. The information contained in the register for each class is summarised by:

  • Class 1 – details of the contract itself must be published, including name and address of the contractor, effective contract date and duration, particulars of project under the contract, estimated amount payable.
  • Class 2 – details of the contract where there has been substantial renegotiation of terms after a tender process or contracts that will be privately financed.
  • Class 3 – details of contracts at $5 million or above and the register in addition to applicable information, must include a copy of the contract.

Political donations and gifts

Under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, people who make planning or development related applications to Council must declare political donations or gifts made to Councillors or Council staff.

Declarations are made to the NSW Electoral Commission.

You can search the register of political donations and gifts on the NSW Electoral Commission website.

Use the Political donations and gifts disclosure statement(PDF, 1MB) to declare a political donation or gift.

Returns of interests

Councillors and designated persons are required to prepare and submit written returns of interest (returns) within 3 months after:

  • becoming a Councillor or designated person
  • 30 June of each year
  • becoming aware of an interest they are required to disclose.1

The returns are publicly available on the Council’s website free of charge.2

Councillor returns of interest

Designated persons returns of interest

Public interest test

The returns may contain personal information about the person concerned, and, potentially, about third parties such as family members. The Councillor or designated person has the right to object to the release of this information.

In these cases the ‘public interest test’ is applied and the returns have been edited where it has been determined that there is an overriding public interest against disclosure3.

Councillor fee

The Office of Local Government (OLG) provided advice that Councillors did not need to disclose their fee as a Councillor under Part B – Sources of income.4

This information is already publicly reported, with the most recent report on the Mayor and Councillor annual fees for 2024–25 being reported to the 20 June 2024 Council meeting.

Individual Councillor expenses for 2024–25

Expense or facility Cr Brinsmead Cr Byrnes Cr Cherry Cr Dennis Cr Firth Cr Hone* Cr Owen Cr Polglase* Total
General travel expenses, including interstate and long-distance intrastate expenses^ 1,531 447 255 5,666 2,100 3,327 1,581 782 15,597
Accommodation and meals^ 1,789 0 190 0 0 238 1,014 0 3,231
Professional development 6,297 0 8,299 1,761 340 4,778 26,408 0 47,882
Mobile phone (Councillor owned), home phone and internet 3,336 0 3,369 0 0 0 2,833 249 9,787
Mobile phone (Council issued), home phone and internet 0 1,138 0 1,164 739 1,331 0 0 4,371
Home office 0 0 194 0 0 0 0 0 194
Carer expenses 0 0 0 0 0 1,138 0 0 1,138
Print and online media 176 0 273 0 123 498 585 102 1,756
Councillor member fees 30,967 30,967 30,967 30,967 30,967 23,475 30,967 7,492 216,769
Councillor member fees – Mayor 0 0 88,038 0 0 0 0 0 88,038
Super 3,564 3,564 13,698 3,564 3,564 2,703 3,564 862 35,082
Vehicle – Mayoral 0 0 13,075 0 0 0 0 0 13,075
Total 47,659 36,116 158,357 43,122 37,833 37,396 66,952 9,486 436,921

^ Some of the travel and accommodation expenses were professional development related.

* Due to Local Government election during the financial year, Cr Polglase was a Councillor until 14 September 2024, and Cr Hone was a Councillor from October 2024 onwards.

 

  1. The costings in the table above do not include ICT Equipment issued to Councillors under the Councillor Expense Policy (1 × laptop to all Councillors and 1 × mobile phone to Cr Byrnes, Cr Dennis, Cr Firth and Cr Hone). Please note that service costs for Council issued mobile phones are included in the table.
  2. The costings in the table above do not include a furnished office and designated car space reserved for the Mayor which is provided at the Murwillumbah Civic Centre in accordance with the Councillor Expense Policy.
  3. There was no expenditure in the 2024–25 financial year for the following categories under the Councillor Expense Policy:
    1. overseas travel expenses
    2. postage stamps
    3. Christmas or festive cards.
  4. Cr Brinsmead, Cr Hone and Cr Owen were issued hardcopy business cards during the past financial year. Cr Owen was issued an electronic business card during the past financial year.

Non-specific Councillor related expenditure for 2024–25

Expense of facility Policy maximum amount Amount ($)
Councillor facilities – catering Provided to all councillors 9,844
Councillor insurance Not applicable 45,196

The costings in the table above do not include administrative support provided by 1 FTE position, Personal Assistant to Mayor and Councillors.

For further information call Council’s Coordinator Governance and Information on 02 6670 2400 or email tsc@tweed.nsw.gov.au.

Notes

1 Refer to Part 4 of Code of Conduct for Councillors (Model) Policy, Code of Conduct for Council Staff (Model) Policy and Code of Conduct for Council Committee Members, Delegates of Council and Council Advisers (Model) Policy.

2 In accordance with the open access information requirements under Clause 1(2)(a) of Schedule 1 to the Government Information (Public Access) Regulation 2018.

3 In accordance with section 6(4) of the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009.

4 Model Code of Conduct for Local Councils in NSW – A guide to completing returns of interest, 2020.

Further resources

Visit Information and Privacy Commission NSW or email ipc@nsw.gov.au.

Also see

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