Address

Our street address is: 5 O’Keeffe Avenue, Nowra, NSW 2541.

Our postal address is: Locked Bag 3015 Nowra NSW 2541.

Enquiries

Assistance and feedback

To maintain and improve the quality of the services we provide, the Office of Local Government (OLG) is committed to addressing feedback and resolving complaints fairly and thoroughly.

Concerns or feedback about a council

In most situations you should raise your concerns or submit your feedback directly with the council – at least in the first instance. Some concerns or feedback about a council may then need to be directed to a different organisation; it depends on the issue.

Alternatively, use the Have your say – OLG feedback form to lodge your council-related feedback with the OLG and/or find out which organisation you should contact next.

Complaints to the NSW Ombudsman

If we have not been able to resolve your complaint, or you believe we have not acted in accordance with our policies and procedures, you may be able to submit a complaint to the NSW Ombudsman.

Media policy

The Office of Local Government (OLG) is part of the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI).

It has a policy, legislative, investigative and program focus in regulating the State’s local councils.
OLG recognises the importance of transparency in local Government and the key role the media plays in informing the community, and it is committed to communicating publicly about its programs and initiatives.

What OLG can comment on

Subject to legal and operational constraints, OLG provides the media with information about its activities as the regulator for the local Government sector where possible, and practical, to do so. 

What OLG cannot comment on 

Generally, OLG will not:

  • confirm whether it has received a complaint
  • confirm whether a specific matter is under investigation
  • make comment in relation to a matter subject of legal proceedings. 

Why OLG cannot comment on active matters

OLG cannot make comment on active matters due to a number of factors, including:

  • legislative restrictions
  • the need to safeguard confidential or sensitive information (which may include the identity of a complainant)
  • the potential to jeopardise ongoing investigations and regulatory actions by any premature release of information
  • ensuring procedural fairness is afforded to a relevant person or council
  • avoiding prejudice to court proceedings
  • court orders preventing the disclosure of information. 

When information may be published

Where OLG undertakes formal investigations or interventions, certain details of those matters may be published on the OLG website (if appropriate or required by legislation). This includes terms of reference for certain types of investigations or interventions, or findings of misconduct in councillor conduct matters managed by OLG.

OLG deals with questions and complaints over the behaviour of elected officials, including in relation to their public comments or communications, and recognises that some complaints may be politically motivated or otherwise misconceived.  The OLG’s guideline ‘Free speech in local Government in NSW’ provides guidance as to when comments by elected officials may be legitimate and appropriate and when they are not.

Where OLG is managing a complaint that may be politically motivated or the subject of that complaint is being unfairly targeted, OLG will exercise discretion in determining whether it is appropriate to make any statement relating to that complaint.

Media statements may otherwise be issued by OLG if appropriate, noting the restrictions outlined above. While OLG is unable to comment on active investigations or council interventions, media statements may be provided on OLG initiatives and programs, and other matters on a case-by-case basis.

Response times

We will respond to media enquiries as quickly as possible. The more detailed the request, the more time that may be required for the media team to provide a response.

Due to the high volume of matters or information requests that we may dealing with at any given time, we must prioritise requests.

Out-of-hours and weekends

Outside of business hours, on weekends, and on public holidays, please submit any media enquiries for the Office of Local Government via email to [email protected]

At the discretion of the on-call media officer, journalists with non-urgent media enquiries during these periods may be advised that a response will be provided by the media team during office hours.