Local Laws deal with a range of matters that impact the liveability of our communities including:

• Advertising devices and signs
• Aerodromes
• Animal keeping and control
• Bathing reserves
• Camping
• Caravan parks
• Carrying out work on roads (e.g. utility providers digging up Council roads)
• Cemeteries
• Community gardens and verge gardens
• Commercial activities and businesses on public land
• Council-controlled waters (e.g. canals and foreshores)
• Dangerous recreational activities on public land (e.g. drones and golf)
• Driveways
• Fires and fire pits
• Fireworks
• Gatherings and alcohol on public land
• Illegal dumping and littering
• Landing and mooring
• Local annoyances and hazards (e.g. overgrown allotments, noisy pool pumps, air and conditioners)
• Outdoor dining
• Parking, traffic and regulatory signs
• Removing vegetation from public land
• Roadside and itinerant vending
• Share accommodation (including short stay accommodation)
• Smoking in public places not regulated under State laws (e.g. parks and high streets)
• Swimming pools
• Temporary entertainment events (e.g. festivals and fetes)
• Temporary homes (e.g. living in caravans or sheds on land while a permanent house is built on that land)
• Vehicles on public land (e.g. dirtbikes).

Community and key stakeholder needs are at the heart of our Local Laws and as such are a focus of the Local Laws Review project.

Council invited community input prior to drafting the new Local Laws to understand the sentiment on each matter. Using this feedback, consultation with experts in relevant fields and legislative requirements, the draft Local Laws were prepared.

We are now inviting the community to again have their say on the draft Local Laws that are being released for review. This process will progressively occur as each Local Law is drafted by Council. Your feedback will be looked at before we finalise the proposed Local Laws for consideration by Council for adoption.

Moreton Bay Regional Council is reviewing the local laws with the aim of ensuring the Moreton Bay Region continues to be a great place to live, work and play.

The Local Law Review aims to:

• enhance the relevance, effectiveness and currency of the laws
• improve interpretation and understanding of the laws
• ensure the laws are up to date with current legislative requirements
• rationalise legislation governing issues where there are inconsistencies or duplication across statutes
• streamline administrative processes and reduce red tape.

No. We are reviewing the Local Law to reflect the needs and expectations of the Moreton Bay Region’s diverse communities.

Now is the time to tell Council. It is important Council hears from you so our Local Laws can best be reviewed to meet the needs and expectations of the communities across our diverse region.

Please take the opportunity to participate in the public consultation for each draft Local Law. These opportunities that will be promoted via project updates (you can register to receive these by clicking the ‘+Follow’ button at the top of this webpage), on this website and through other Council channels.

It is just as important to let us know if you support a draft Local Law as it is to tell us if you are opposed to it so we know how well our regulations are reflecting the views of our communities.

A summary of what we learned during the early (pre-drafting) consultation phases in 2021 and how Council is responding is available on the project webpage.

Outcomes of the statutory consultation period will be made available to the community once completed.

The Local Government Act 2009 limits the powers of local governments to make certain local laws. Local governments cannot make local laws that contain provisions:

• with penalties of more than 850 penalty units (currently $113,000)
• that stop a local law being amended or repealed in the future
• about a prohibited subject (i.e. network connections, specific types and distribution or placement of election advertising or development processes)
• that are anti-competitive (unless the local government has complied with the prescribed procedure for review of the anti-competitive provision)
• that are inconsistent with state law

For each draft Local Law, we will typically be undertaking the following steps:

1. drafting the Local Laws considering the findings of early (pre-drafting) consultation
2. public comment on draft Local Laws
3. review of submissions
4. Council consideration of proposed Local Laws
5. New Local Law adoption and commencement (this is the date from which the new Local Laws will take effect)

The adoption of new Local Laws will be published in the Gazette in accordance with the Local Government Act 2009. The documents will also be made available for purchase at Customer Service Centres in the region.