sec.171Requests for assistance or information

### sec.171 Requests for assistance or information A councillor may ask a council employee to provide advice to assist the councillor to carry out his or her responsibilities under this Act. A councillor may, subject to any limits prescribed under a regulation, ask the chief executive officer to provide information, that the council has access to, relating to the council. A regulation may prescribe the maximum cost to the council of providing information to a councillor. If the advice or information requested under subsection (1) or (2) relates to a document, the requirement under subsection (9) to comply with the request includes a requirement to provide a copy of the document. Subsections (2) and (3) do not apply to information or a document— that is a record of the conduct tribunal; or that was a record of the former conduct review panel; or that comprises proceedings in the Assembly under the Parliament of Queensland Act 2001 , section 9 ; or if disclosure of the information or document to the councillor would be contrary to an order of a court or tribunal; or that would be privileged from production in a legal proceeding on the ground of legal professional privilege. Also, subsections (2) and (3) apply to a councillor in relation to committee information— only if the councillor is a member of the Establishment and Coordination Committee; or if the councillor is not a member— only if the information is general committee information; and only to the extent the general committee information relates to a matter that has been finally resolved. A request of a councillor under subsection (1) or (2) is of no effect if the request— relates to any ward other than the ward the councillor represents; or does not comply with the acceptable requests guidelines. Subsection (6) does not apply to— the mayor; or the chairperson of the council if the request relates to the role of the chairperson; or the chairperson of a committee of the council if the request relates to the role of the chairperson. In this section a council employee includes a person prescribed under a regulation. The chief executive officer must comply with a request made to the chief executive officer under subsection (1) or (2) — within 10 business days after receiving the request; or if the chief executive officer reasonably believes it is not practicable to comply with the request within 10 business days—within 20 business days after receiving the request. Maximum penalty—20 penalty units. If the chief executive officer forms the belief mentioned in subsection (9) (b) , the chief executive officer must give the councillor written notice about the belief and the reasons for the belief within 10 business days after receiving the request. In this section— committee information means information in a document made about, by or for the purposes of the Establishment and Coordination Committee, including the following documents— committee submissions; committee briefing notes; committee agendas; notes of discussions in committee meetings; committee minutes; committee decisions; a document prepared for presentation to the committee; a draft of, or another document prepared for the purpose of, a document mentioned in any of paragraphs (a) to (g) . finally resolved , in relation to a matter, means— the Establishment and Coordination Committee or council has made a final decision about the matter; or the Establishment and Coordination Committee has decided, or is taken to have decided, the matter in a way prescribed by regulation. former conduct review panel means the BCC councillor conduct review panel under this Act as in force before the commencement of the Local Government Electoral (Implementing Stage 2 of Belcarra) and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2019 , section 34 . general committee information means the following committee information— the version of a committee submission considered by the Establishment and Coordination Committee in making a final decision about the matter the subject of the submission; committee agendas; committee minutes; committee decisions. s 171 sub 2012 No. 33 s 43 amd 2019 No. 30 ss 30, 47 ; 2026 No. 5 s 13 (sec.171-ssec.1) A councillor may ask a council employee to provide advice to assist the councillor to carry out his or her responsibilities under this Act. (sec.171-ssec.2) A councillor may, subject to any limits prescribed under a regulation, ask the chief executive officer to provide information, that the council has access to, relating to the council. A regulation may prescribe the maximum cost to the council of providing information to a councillor. (sec.171-ssec.3) If the advice or information requested under subsection (1) or (2) relates to a document, the requirement under subsection (9) to comply with the request includes a requirement to provide a copy of the document. (sec.171-ssec.4) Subsections (2) and (3) do not apply to information or a document— that is a record of the conduct tribunal; or that was a record of the former conduct review panel; or that comprises proceedings in the Assembly under the Parliament of Queensland Act 2001 , section 9 ; or if disclosure of the information or document to the councillor would be contrary to an order of a court or tribunal; or that would be privileged from production in a legal proceeding on the ground of legal professional privilege. (sec.171-ssec.5) Also, subsections (2) and (3) apply to a councillor in relation to committee information— only if the councillor is a member of the Establishment and Coordination Committee; or if the councillor is not a member— only if the information is general committee information; and only to the extent the general committee information relates to a matter that has been finally resolved. (sec.171-ssec.6) A request of a councillor under subsection (1) or (2) is of no effect if the request— relates to any ward other than the ward the councillor represents; or does not comply with the acceptable requests guidelines. (sec.171-ssec.7) Subsection (6) does not apply to— the mayor; or the chairperson of the council if the request relates to the role of the chairperson; or the chairperson of a committee of the council if the request relates to the role of the chairperson. (sec.171-ssec.8) In this section a council employee includes a person prescribed under a regulation. (sec.171-ssec.9) The chief executive officer must comply with a request made to the chief executive officer under subsection (1) or (2) — within 10 business days after receiving the request; or if the chief executive officer reasonably believes it is not practicable to comply with the request within 10 business days—within 20 business days after receiving the request. Maximum penalty—20 penalty units. (sec.171-ssec.10) If the chief executive officer forms the belief mentioned in subsection (9) (b) , the chief executive officer must give the councillor written notice about the belief and the reasons for the belief within 10 business days after receiving the request. (sec.171-ssec.11) In this section— committee information means information in a document made about, by or for the purposes of the Establishment and Coordination Committee, including the following documents— committee submissions; committee briefing notes; committee agendas; notes of discussions in committee meetings; committee minutes; committee decisions; a document prepared for presentation to the committee; a draft of, or another document prepared for the purpose of, a document mentioned in any of paragraphs (a) to (g) . finally resolved , in relation to a matter, means— the Establishment and Coordination Committee or council has made a final decision about the matter; or the Establishment and Coordination Committee has decided, or is taken to have decided, the matter in a way prescribed by regulation. former conduct review panel means the BCC councillor conduct review panel under this Act as in force before the commencement of the Local Government Electoral (Implementing Stage 2 of Belcarra) and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2019 , section 34 . general committee information means the following committee information— the version of a committee submission considered by the Establishment and Coordination Committee in making a final decision about the matter the subject of the submission; committee agendas; committee minutes; committee decisions. - (a) that is a record of the conduct tribunal; or - (b) that was a record of the former conduct review panel; or - (c) that comprises proceedings in the Assembly under the Parliament of Queensland Act 2001 , section 9 ; or - (d) if disclosure of the information or document to the councillor would be contrary to an order of a court or tribunal; or - (e) that would be privileged from production in a legal proceeding on the ground of legal professional privilege. - (a) only if the councillor is a member of the Establishment and Coordination Committee; or - (b) if the councillor is not a member— (i) only if the information is general committee information; and (ii) only to the extent the general committee information relates to a matter that has been finally resolved. - (i) only if the information is general committee information; and - (ii) only to the extent the general committee information relates to a matter that has been finally resolved. - (i) only if the information is general committee information; and - (ii) only to the extent the general committee information relates to a matter that has been finally resolved. - (a) relates to any ward other than the ward the councillor represents; or - (b) does not comply with the acceptable requests guidelines. - (a) the mayor; or - (b) the chairperson of the council if the request relates to the role of the chairperson; or - (c) the chairperson of a committee of the council if the request relates to the role of the chairperson. - (a) within 10 business days after receiving the request; or - (b) if the chief executive officer reasonably believes it is not practicable to comply with the request within 10 business days—within 20 business days after receiving the request. - (a) committee submissions; - (b) committee briefing notes; - (c) committee agendas; - (d) notes of discussions in committee meetings; - (e) committee minutes; - (f) committee decisions; - (g) a document prepared for presentation to the committee; - (h) a draft of, or another document prepared for the purpose of, a document mentioned in any of paragraphs (a) to (g) . - (a) the Establishment and Coordination Committee or council has made a final decision about the matter; or - (b) the Establishment and Coordination Committee has decided, or is taken to have decided, the matter in a way prescribed by regulation. - (a) the version of a committee submission considered by the Establishment and Coordination Committee in making a final decision about the matter the subject of the submission; - (b) committee agendas; - (c) committee minutes; - (d) committee decisions.