What you told us

Consistent Stage 1 feedback demonstrated that respondents want rules that are easier to understand, more clearly defined, and consistently enforced.

Participants raised uncertainty about current requirements, questioning if the issue was new rules or better enforcement, expressing an expectation for stronger enforcement to reduce impacts on local amenity, accessibility and safety concerns.

Our proposed response

The proposed changes apply transparency and streamline permit provisions by clarifying how permits may be granted, refused, amended or cancelled. The draft amendments provide for appeals and exemptions, enables verbal directions and urgent remedial action (where appropriate), and more clearly sets out offences, penalties, corporate liability and operator-onus arrangements to effectively apply the Local Law.

Clauses that relate to ‘Permits, administration and enforcement’ include (pages 38 - 44 in the draft Community Local Law 2026):

68. Permits – general

69. Parking permits

70. Exercise of discretion 

71. Impounding

72. Disposal

73. Setting fees and charges

74. Differential or structured fees and charges

75. Waiver of fees and charges

76. Delegation

77. Notice to comply and verbal direction

78. Infringement notices

79. Offences and penalties

80. Offences by corporations

81. Operator onus offence

82. Delegations

Key themes for proposed amendments

• Providing greater clarity on impounding and disposal of items.

• Redrafted permit clauses, combining and streamlining to improve guidance around permit applications, and the granting, refusal, amendment or cancellation of permits.

• Includes provision for exemptions.

• Individual permit conditions will sit outside the Local Law.

• Introducing new 'parking permits' clause to support regulation.

• Introducing the ability for an Authorised Officer to provide verbal direction.

• Introducing the provision for appeals and exemptions.

• Providing Council the ability to undertake works or remedial action if urgent and recover costs (this will require CEO or delegate approval, not the Authorised Officer).

• More clearly articulating what constitutes an offence and applicable penalty units.

• A new clause addressing offences by corporations.

• A new clause addressing operator onus offence in relation to motor vehicles.