Some of the documents held in Councils records are classified "open access documents" under Section 18 of the Government Information Public Access (GIPA) Act. This means any member of the public is able to obtain copies of these documents without permission from the creator or owner of the document. 

In relation to property, building or DA files, the documents considered open access are listed under part 6 of this application form. These items can be viewed by any member of the public upon completion and submission of this application form.  

The owner of the property does not always own the Intellectual Property (IP) on the plans or drawings therefore members of the public must submit a request to Council to obtain copies of floor plans, architectural drawings, and/or building designs. To manage such information, it is a Council requirement for any third party to be aware of the following provisions, under both Privacy and Copyright Laws:

• Members of the public requesting to view property or DA files shall not view internal floor plans without signed written consent from the owner of the premises, or their nominated representative. This provision is subject to Privacy Laws. 
  
  Please note: Even if access to view floor plans has been granted; copying, downloading and/or printing of the plans will be in breach of the Copyright Act 1968.
  
  
• To obtain copies of internal floor plans, applicants must provide written approval from th owner of the drawings or plans (eg architect, building company etc). Council staff cannot obtain this consent on your behalf. If consent cannot be obtained, the applicant must demonstrate to Council their attempts to obtain such consent. 
• if consent is provided, the applicant shall be provided a copy of the plans. Plans are protected under the Copyright Act 1968.

Some DA and/or property files managed by Council include documents written by a third party. If a member of the public wishes to obtain copies of such information he or she will be required to submit a formal request under the Government Information Public Access (GIPA) Act 2009, to which a $30.00 fee applies. 

For more information about the GIPA Act please refer to Government Information Public Access (GIPA) Act 2009.

*Owners consent must be given prior to viewing floor plans. A copy of the consent must be attached with this application in order for it to be accepted and processed. 

**Requests for other information must be specific to ensure that it meets the requirements for an informal access request. If you do not provide enough detail about the information you require Council may refuse to process your application or you may be required to submit a formal request under the Government Information Public Access (GIPA) Act 2009, to which a $30 fee applies. 

I declare that I have read the information provided on this form and by submitting this form to Council, agree to adhere to the process stipulated herein when it comes to requesting to view or obtain information held on property, DA or building files managed by Council.