The Code of Conduct is approved by the Minister for Local and is consistent with the Act and addresses prescribed matters.  The Code is set out in the Local Government (Code of Conduct) Order 2024.

The Code of Conduct provides for the following matters:

• Decision Making
• Conflicts of Interest that are not pecuniary
• Use of Office
• Use of Council resources
• Use of Information
• Gifts and Donations
• Relationships with the community, other Councillors and Council employees
• Representation as a Councillor, of the Council into the community

Code of conduct complaints

Lodging a code of conduct complaint should be seen as a last resort where a complainant has sought to resolve an issue directly with the subject of the complaint or through the relevant council’s dispute resolution process and is unsatisfied with the outcome.

From 10 September 2025 all Tasmanian councils must implement a dispute resolution policy which outlines the process for managing disputes at the council level. Any person can make a complaint under a relevant council’s internal dispute resolution policy.

Councils are required to make a copy of their dispute resolution policy available on their website and for public inspection free of charge at the public office and for purchase at a reasonable charge. This must also contain information on how to make a complaint to the council under their dispute resolution policy.

Prescribed content for the development of council’s dispute resolution policies is contained in the Local government (General) Regulations 2015 and is also available on the Tasmanian legislation website at www.legislation.tas.gov.au.

The Glamorgan Spring Bay Council has adopted an internal dispute resolution policy with the link provided below.

Model Dispute Resolution Policy

How to make a code of conduct complaint

Once a complainant has gone through the Council’s internal dispute resolution process and being dissatisfied with the outcome and having acted in good faith, the complainant may make a complaint under the Code of Conduct.

The complainant must demonstrate in their complaint form that they:

• have made reasonable efforts under the council’s internal dispute resolution process; or
• have made efforts to resolve the complaint; or
• can explain why the internal dispute resolution process is not an appropriate process for resolving the issue.

A complainant must complete a Local government code of conduct complaint form and lodge it with the Chief Executive Officer within six months of the alleged contravention.

The complaint must be accompanied by:

1. a statutory declaration verifying the accuracy of the information contained in the complaint. This should meet the requirement for completing a Statutory Declaration
2. pay the prescribed fee

Confidentiality

Complaints should be treated as confidential. The parties to a complaint should keep the complaint and all information provided to, and by, the investigating Panel during the assessment and investigation of the complaint (for example, supporting information provided by the complainant and any response to the complaint provided by the councillor against whom the complaint is made), confidential and out of the public domain. This applies from the time of lodgement of the complaint until:

• the complaint is withdrawn by the complainant;
• the complaint is dismissed by the initial assessor on initial assessment; or
• the investigating Panel’s determination report is made public by being included within an agenda item at the first open council meeting at which it is practicable to do so.

Under the Local Government Act 1993, a person must not make improper use of information acquired by the person in relation to a code of conduct investigation.

The Chief Executive Officer and their delegate adopts these principles and treats any complaint received as confidential.