Compliance policy and process

Council is committed to ensuring development work is safe and compliant on the Sunshine Coast. To help us care for our community, we want you to understand your obligations and we need your support.

There are regulations and legislation for all plumbing, building and development activities. Compliance with relevant legislation minimises the risk of harm. It also ensures our region achieves specific social, environmental, economic and safety outcomes.

For more information see our fact sheet (DOCX, 197KB).

Council's compliance and enforcement policy (PDF, 372KB) outlines our approach to compliance. It explains what may happen if you are subject to action because of a non-compliant issue.

We focus on matters that pose a risk to you, our community and the environment. We aim to balance individual and community interests. Some matters put people and property at risk. These take precedence over minor technical breaches.

This risk based approach assumes that most people want to do the right thing.

Proactive compliance approach

Our proactive development compliance activities focus on helping you understand your obligations. Understanding the reasons behind the rules, help us all to do the right thing. This often helps to avoid risks before they occur.

We want to work with you to resolve matters. This includes providing you with information, support, and feedback.

Our approach includes:

• information and education - council provides a variety of information and programs including:
  • online information
  • specialist forums
  • information sessions, and
  • training.
• audits- council have several audit programs. On-site audits ensure compliance with conditions of approval. We also complete regular audits for on-site sewerage facilities and backflow prevention devices
• plan sealing - our detailed process ensures compliance with approval conditions before titling of lots
• inspections - to ensure compliance with conditions identified in approval permits, we inspect a range of development activities. This includes:
  • contributed public assets - we inspection during construction and on/off maintenance
  • plumbing and drainage requirements - we complete inspections during construction and final work.
• specific projects - council supports specific projects when needed to resolve current and emerging compliance issues.

Reactive compliance approach

Our reactive development compliance approach focuses on investigating reports about unlawful activities.

We thoroughly review any complaints we receive. As part of our review, we provide updates to complainants about any action taken.

Council prefers to work with the owner to rectify matters before considering other compliance options. Council officers aim to help them understand what they need to do to get any necessary approvals.

We conduct investigations in a manner that is:

• objective, fair and impartial
• consistent with the presumption that an alleged offender is innocent until proven otherwise
• within the delegated authority of the investigating officers
• in accordance with the law, and
• respectful of individuals.