Water & environment · City of Gold Coast
Gold Coast online petition platform faces law review and future funding test
Council will review whether to accept online petitions, but its 28 July resolution records no current budget for developing or implementing a platform.
Reporting from public council minutes. How this article was prepared
Gold Coast Council resolved to review accepting online petitions and recorded that no budget allocation currently exists to develop or implement a platform.
The review may require amendments to Subordinate Local Law No. 1.1 (Meetings) 2008. The wording was changed at the Governance, Administration and Finance Committee’s 14 July meeting from a recommendation that Council note any proposal would be considered as part of the local-law review to one stating that Council will review accepting online petitions.
Council adopted that changed recommendation unanimously on 28 July. The resolution did not approve an online petition service, set an implementation date or allocate funding. Funding for developing and implementing a platform would need to be considered through a future budget process.
What deserves a closer look
The record supports a review and future funding consideration, not approval of an online petition platform.
The changed wording creates a Council review commitment, but the minutes do not provide a review date, implementation timetable or funding allocation.
Questions for follow-up reporting
When will the local-law framework review consider online petitions?
What amendments, if any, will be proposed to Subordinate Local Law No. 1.1 (Meetings) 2008?
Will a future budget process recommend funding for platform development and implementation?
What happens next
Review accepting online petitions as part of the local-law framework review project, including any required amendments to Subordinate Local Law No. 1.1 (Meetings) 2008.
Funding for developing and implementing an online petition platform would need to be considered through a future budget process.
Check the record
These passages were matched to the source text. Read them in context in the original minutes.
The original recommendation proposed that Council note that any proposal to accept online petitions would be considered through the local-law framework review, including any required amendments to Subordinate Local Law No. 1.1 (Meetings) 2008, and that no current budget existed to develop and implement a platform.
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY 6.8# MERITS OF ACCEPTING ONLINE PETITIONS A117406463 FA5396871 RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that Council resolves as follows: 1 That Council notes the contents of the report. 869 Meeting of the Governance, Administration and Finance Committee Confirmed Minutes Page 9 Tuesday 14 July 2026 2 That Council notes that any proposal to accept online petitions will be considered as part of the local law framework review project, including the incorporation of any required amendments to the Subordinate Local Law No. 1.1 (Meetings) 2008. 3 That Council notes there is currently no budget allocation for the development and implementation of an online petition platform, and that funding will need to be considered through a future budget process.
Item 6.8, original recommendation
Open original minutes ↗Changed committee recommendation GAF26.0714.010 called for Council to review accepting online petitions through the local-law framework review, including any required amendments to Subordinate Local Law No. 1.1 (Meetings) 2008, and to note that no current platform development and implementation budget existed and that funding would need consideration through a future budget process.
CHANGED COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION GAF26.0714.010 Moved: Cr B Patterson Seconded: Cr D Doran It is recommended that Council resolves as follows: 1 That Council notes the contents of the report. 2 That Council will review accepting online petitions as part of the local law framework review project, including the incorporation of any required amendments to the Subordinate Local Law No. 1.1 (Meetings) 2008. 3 That Council notes there is currently no budget allocation for the development and implementation of an online petition platform, and that funding will need to be considered through a future budget process.
Changed committee recommendation GAF26.0714.010
Open original minutes ↗Council adopted committee recommendation GAF26.0714.010 on 28 July 2026, and resolution G26.0728.035 was carried unanimously.
CARRIED ADOPTED AT COUNCIL 28 JULY 2026 RESOLUTION G26.0728.035 Moved: Cr B Patterson Seconded: Cr J Martin That Committee Recommendation GAF26.0714.010 be adopted. CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY 6.9 CITY CONTRACTING PLAN 2026-27 A120983120 FA5396861 COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION GAF26.0714.011 Moved: Cr D Doran Seconded: Cr N Fowler It is recommended that Council resolves as follows: That Council adopts the City Contracting Plan 2026-27 (Attachment 1) in accordance with section 220 of the Local Government Regulation 2012 (Qld).
Resolution G26.0728.035
Open original minutes ↗Source record
This article reports from the City of Gold Coast’s confirmed public minutes for the Governance, Administration and Finance Committee meeting held on 14 July 2026, including the Council resolution recorded on 28 July 2026.
Key facts from the minutes
- The City of Gold Coast will review accepting online petitions as part of its local-law framework review.
- The review may require amendments to Subordinate Local Law No. 1.1 (Meetings) 2008.
- Council recorded that no budget allocation currently exists for developing or implementing an online petition platform.
- Funding would need to be considered through a future budget process.
- Council adopted the changed recommendation unanimously on 28 July 2026.
Why it matters
- The decision commits Council to a review, rather than approving an online petition service or setting an implementation timetable. Funding for a platform would need to be considered through a future budget process.