Public question time is a section of the Agenda of a Committee Meeting during which the Committee may answer questions submitted by members of the public.
It is not designed to take the place of contacting a Councillor or Councillors directly to discuss an issue, or to replace contacting Council’s Customer Services for assistance. Rather, it is designed to allow for clarification of issues of public interest in relation to the Committee.

For a question to be considered at a Committee Meeting, the following requirements must be met:

• The person submitting the question must include their name, address and contact number;
• A question must not exceed 50 words in length;
• A question must focus on an issue within Councils powers to act;
• A question must not name, allude to, or focus on an individual;
• No more than two questions (including questions asked in parts) are able to be submitted per person for any one Council meeting.

Questions that meet any of the following criteria will not be answered at a Committee Meeting:

• Repetitive or has already been answered (either previously by officers in writing or at a Council Meeting);
• Relates to a matter for which the meeting would normally be closed to the public to allow discussion of confidential items;
• Is prejudicial to the Council or any other person if answered;
• Relates to the personal views or actions of an individual Councillor or Officer;
• Relates to a matter that is the subject of negotiation, litigation or commercial interest/advantage;
• Is defamatory, indecent, abusive, irrelevant, trivial or objectionable in language or nature;
• Is considered trivial or vexatious or it is more appropriate to direct to officers of the Council during normal business hours.

To submit a question, you can Email to egovernance@latrobe.vic.gov.au or complete the Online Form

You must submit the form by midday one business day before the Council Meeting.

Any questions received after this deadline that meets the criteria will be held until the next Committee Meeting for response.

Please note that the Committee may choose to reply in writing.

The purpose of collecting your personal details is so a written response to your question can be provided. Your phone details and e-mail may assist Council in seeking clarification from you on the information you are seeking.

Any other personal information that is provided will only be disclosed to Councillors and Council Officers and will be retained on Council files until destroyed in accordance with the Public Records Act 1973.

Personal information collected as part of this process will be handled in accordance with the privacy principles in the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014.
The Chair will ask the Chief Executive Officer to conduct the public question time session.

The Chief Executive Officer will read the response to the question. The Chief Executive Officer can nominate another Senior Staff member to read the response to the question, if appropriate.

The question and the response will be read out and the details will be included in the minutes of the meeting. A copy will also be distributed to the person to their nominated contact details following the meeting.

Council has the discretion to seek clarification to the question if deemed necessary; otherwise the person asking the question is not permitted to enter into debate or discussion during this session.

Community members are welcome to observe the Committee Meetings.

The Committee may need to close part of the meeting to consider confidential items, and you will be asked to leave if this is enacted.

Whilst in attendance at a meeting, visitors are asked to behave in line with the following:

• Do not move about unnecessarily, interject, applaud, converse, take part in the debate or otherwise create a nuisance.
• If any visitor is called to order by the Chair and then again acts in breach of these guidelines, they may be requested to leave.
• Do not bring into the meeting any placards, posters, recording devices or materials other than personal effects (this is not intended to discourage note taking), unless permission has been granted by the Chair.
• Photography or any audio or audio-visual recording of the meeting is expressly prohibited unless the Chair specifically grants permission.
• As a courtesy to others, please remember to switch off or change your mobile phone to silent mode when entering the meeting
• Members of the public attending the committee meetings are expected to behave respectfully at all times.

You are not permitted to engage with Councillors or Council officers during the course of the meeting unless called on to speak on an agenda item.
You are expected to be respectful to Councillors when speaking on an agenda item. In particular, you are to refrain from making adverse comments about Councillor & individual officers and Council officers have a right to be safe and treated with respect at their workplace.

You may be asked to leave the meeting if your behaviour is considered inappropriate, disruptive or rude.

If a member of the gallery in attendance interjects, behaves offensively or acts in a disruptive manner during the meeting, the Chair may direct the person to cease the behaviour. In the event that the person continues the behaviour, the Chair may request the removal of the person from the meeting. This may include the involvement of Victoria Police where necessary. Further information is available in Council’s Governance Rules.

Members of the public present at the meeting must remain silent during the proceedings other than when specifically invited to address the meeting. In addition to managing disruptive behaviour as set out above, the Chair may also cause the removal of any object or material that is deemed by the Chair to be objectionable or disrespectful. The Chair may call a break in the meeting for either a short time, or to resume another day if the behaviour at the Council table or in the gallery is significantly disrupting the meeting.

For assistance contact the Governance Team:

 Email: egovernance@latrobe.vic.gov.au Phone: 1300 367 700

Members of the public who have an interest in an open item on the advertised agenda can register to speak.

Requests to speak must be provided to our Governance team before 11am on the day of the Committee Meeting. Current options to participate, either virtually or in-person, will be discussed with you upon registration.

To register to speak, you can:

• contact the Governance team on 1300 367 700 or via email egovernance@latrobe.vic.gov.au

complete the online form