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Council committees and minutes

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Learn about Council committees, including the Civic Cabinet. Attend, stream or read the minutes from Council meetings.

Brisbane City Hall viewed across King George Square during the day.

About Council committees

Council has 9 standing committees made up of elected representatives. Committees advise on a range of areas, including infrastructure, public transport and the environment.

The Establishment and Coordination Committee, also known as Civic Cabinet, has been delegated significant responsibility by full Council. Civic Cabinet meets weekly to discuss policies and strategies in areas such as:

  • major projects
  • finance
  • urban planning
  • transport
  • environment
  • community services
  • city businesses
  • Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

It is in this way that Civic Cabinet sets the strategic direction for Brisbane as a city and for Brisbane City Council as an organisation. The members of Civic Cabinet review and make recommendations to full Council on major plans such as Council's vision, City Plan, corporate documents and city finances. 

Civic Cabinet members

Civic Cabinet consists of the Civic Cabinet Chair of each of Council’s standing committees as follows:

  • Lord Mayor, Councillor Adrian Schrinner, City Treasurer and Chair of Civic Cabinet
  • Deputy Mayor, Councillor Fiona Cunningham, Civic Cabinet Chair for Finance and City Governance 
  • Councillor Adam Allan, Civic Cabinet Chair for City Planning and Suburban Renewal
  • Councillor Tracy Davis, Civic Cabinet Chair for Environment, Parks and Sustainability
  • Councillor Vicki Howard, Civic Cabinet Chair for Community and the Arts
  • Councillor Sarah Hutton, Civic Cabinet Chair for City Standards
  • Councillor Ryan Murphy, Civic Cabinet Chair for Transport 
  • Councillor Andrew Wines, Civic Cabinet Chair for Infrastructure.

You can also download a summary of the Civic Cabinet.

Committee membership

Chair Councillor Adam Allan
Deputy Chair Councillor Penny Wolff
Shadow Chair Councillor Jared Cassidy
Members Councillor Steven Huang
Councillor Sandy Landers
Councillor Seal Chong Wah

Committee responsibilities

The responsibilities of the City Planning and Suburban Renewal Committee will be to:

  • plan for the sustainable development of Brisbane to ensure economic prosperity and maintain quality of life
  • plan for a growing city by ensuring the local planning scheme remains current, efficient and effective
  • collaborate with other councils and Queensland Government authorities in regional planning and to implement the Queensland Government’s South East Queensland Regional Plan as it pertains to the Brisbane Local Government Area
  • plan sustainable neighbourhoods where Brisbane residents want to live and work
  • deliver on the outcomes of Brisbane’s Future Blueprint, Brisbane: Our Productive City, Brisbane’s Sustainable Growth Strategy and Brisbane’s Housing Supply Action Plan
  • ensure Brisbane retains the unique character of its architecture and natural attributes
  • promote a range of housing choices to cater for our diverse population
  • partner with the business and development industry to ensure the sustainable development of Brisbane
  • deliver improvement projects in suburban precincts
  • work with local communities, industry and other levels of government to facilitate suburban renewal projects in Brisbane’s suburbs
  • facilitate high-quality, sustainable urban design and private and public art to foster inclusive, vibrant and liveable communities
  • streamline development assessment
  • decide delegated applications during recess
  • recommend major project applications to Council for consideration
  • enhance Brisbane’s economic position
  • ensure that small business is supported with Council programs and events
  • promote and integrate Brisbane’s marketing and business attraction opportunities
  • promote investment in Brisbane
  • manage Brisbane’s Economic Development Plan and implement its recommendations
  • deliver local Business Partnership Initiatives and other measures which support Brisbane business at any level of growth
  • ensure the successful operation of Brisbane Economic Development Agency
  • encourage new opportunities in the tourism sector
  • work with the small business community to ensure Council is responsive to the needs of the sector and supportive of the creation of local jobs
  • develop strong relationships with the multicultural communities of Brisbane, maintain strong relationships with our Sister Cities
  • advance Brisbane’s global positioning and international relationships with key regions to facilitate business and trade connections
  • work with the business community to enhance the nighttime economy, including in key precincts of the city, such as Fortitude Valley and the Central Business District.

A “major project” is a project for which a development application has been lodged with Council which meets any or all of the following criteria:

  • the project will be of considerable impact to the city from an environmental, economic or planning
    perspective
  • the project will have a significant impact on Council infrastructure and resources
  • the project will require the planning scheme to be varied or overridden to give effect to the project
  • the General Manager, Development Services, City Planning and Sustainability, decides that a particular project should be treated as a major project.

Committee membership

Chair Councillor Sarah Hutton
Deputy Chair Councillor Greg Adermann
Shadow Chair Councillor Emily Kim
Members Councillor Lisa Atwood
Councillor Nicole Johnston
Councillor Steven Toomey 

Committee responsibilities

The responsibilities of the City Standards Committee will be to work across Committee portfolios to:

  • ensure citywide removal of graffiti
  • maintain parks and greenspaces including grass cutting, trees on Council land, street and park furniture, park signs, and playgrounds
  • manage road and footpath maintenance including signs, lines, pothole repairs and weed control
  • manage urban cleansing activities including city malls cleansing, litter control, street sweeping, and gum removal
  • manage Council's fleet services
  • ensure the conduct of mosquito, vegetation and pest control
  • ensure that Brisbane is a leading city in waste management and resource recovery
  • ensure coordination with the State Emergency Services during localised incident and disaster response activities
  • ensure a firm but fair approach to compliance and regulation to maintain city amenity standards
  • minimise environmental health risks and safety hazards
  • deliver on the outcomes in the Towards Zero Waste Strategy
  • ensure compliance with local laws and regulations.

Committee membership

Chair Councillor Vicki Howard
Deputy Chair Councillor Lisa Atwood
Shadow Chair Councillor Charles Strunk
Members Councillor Seal Chong Wah
Councillor Alex Givney
Councillor Penny Wolff

Committee responsibilities

The responsibilities of the Community and the Arts Committee will be to:

  • develop vibrant and caring local Brisbane communities
  • ensure a focus on the customer in the design and delivery of Council services
  • ensure contact with Council is made as easy as possible
  • promote and provide opportunities for Brisbane residents to have an active and healthy lifestyle
  • provide libraries, pools, community halls and meeting spaces for Brisbane residents
  • provide exciting, vibrant cultural and artistic activities for Brisbane residents
  • partner with community and business organisations to sponsor and deliver family and community services
  • provide high quality community venues and recreation facilities
  • manage Council’s relationships with community groups that operate from Council-owned facilities and provide support to improve and maintain facilities
  • work with sporting organisations to support community-based sport and recreation activities
  • deliver on the outcomes in Brisbane's Sustainable Growth Strategy as it relates to homelessness and community housing providers
  • deliver strategies and programs that acknowledge and value the unique contributions that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make to our city.

Committee membership

Chair Councillor Tracy Davis
Deputy Chair Councillor Kim Marx
Shadow Chair Councillor Steve Griffiths
Members Councillor Krista Adams
Councillor Alex Givney
Councillor Trina Massey

Committee responsibilities

The responsibilities of the Environment, Parks and Sustainability Committee will be to:

  • protect and enhance Brisbane’s environment including the Brisbane River, waterways, biodiversity, air quality and natural areas
  • create new and improve existing parks across the city
  • ensure Brisbane is a leading city in energy efficiency and sustainability
  • encourage the protection of Brisbane’s native wildlife such as the koala and platypus
  • build Brisbane’s reputation as Australia's most biodiverse capital city
  • deliver on Council's target to reach 40% natual habitat cover by 2031
  • partner with the community and businesses to enhance the environment
  • support volunteer organisations in their contribution to the protection and enhancement of Brisbane’s environment
  • enhance waterway health and access as well as managing flood resilience
  • ensure environmental risks are minimised
  • manage the city’s comprehensive parks and open space network including bushland reserves
  • implement the Brisbane Off-Road Cycling Strategy.

Committee membership

Chair Councillor Fiona Cunningham
Deputy Chair Councillor Steven Huang
Shadow Chair Councillor Jared Cassidy
Members Councillor Julia Dixon
Councillor Trina Massey
Councillor Danita Parry

Committee responsibilities

The responsibilities of the Finance and City Governance Committee will be to:

  • enable the efficient functioning of Council as an organisation
  • maintain and enhance the financial strength and performance of Council
  • ensure sound corporate governance and that Council’s risks are identified and managed
  • ensure the safety and security of Council, including the protection of Council assets
  • prepare Council and the community to minimise the impact of severe weather and natural disasters
  • promote and protect Council’s values, brand and reputation
  • ensure the community is brought up to date with the latest initiatives of the Council
  • ensure the procurement of Council’s goods and services provides best value for money while also delivering on Council's policies to support local suppliers
  • improve the quality and lower the cost of Council services
  • ensure the effective management of Council’s human resources, business processes, IT and property assets
  • enhance and maximise asset performance
  • ensure the performance of Council assets is enhanced and optimised, and support commercial lease agreements that deliver ongoing benefits to Brisbane ratepayers and improve Brisbane's lifestyle.

Committee membership

Chair Councillor Andrew Wines
Deputy Chair Councillor Steve Toomey
Shadow Chair Councillor Charles Strunk
Members Councillor Steve Huang
Councillor Kim Marx
Councillor Nicole Johnston

Committee responsibilities

The responsibilities of the Infrastructure Committee will be to:

  • ensure the planning and development of new infrastructure and management of Council’s existing infrastructure to achieve the objectives and outcomes in Council’s programs
  • define the objectives and strategy for the infrastructure network and assets owned by Council
  • oversee the implementation of Brisbane’s traffic management plans and road network operations with a focus on tackling traffic congestion
  • ensure the management of the capital works program to ensure the optimum performance of Council’s road network and manage the recurrent maintenance program of structures such as bridges and culverts
  • maintain and enhance Brisbane's drainage network.

Committee membership

Chair Councillor Ryan Murphy
Deputy Chair Councillor Danita Parry
Shadow Chair Councillor Lucy Collier
Members Councillor Greg Adermann
Councillor Julia Dixon
Councillor Emily Kim

Committee responsibilities

The responsibilities of the Transport Committee will be to:

  • plan for integrated public and active transport services across Brisbane
  • ensure the effective and efficient operations of Brisbane’s public transport services, including buses, ferries and CityCats
  • collaborate with Queensland Government authorities to deliver integrated transport plans and services for Brisbane
  • ensure Brisbane is a leading city in the use of active transport including the management of e-bike and e-scooter arrangements
  • oversee the implementation of Council’s transport plans relating to public and active transport infrastructure such as bikeways and walking and cycling bridges
  • deliver Council's travel change behaviour programs, including active school travel and kindy active travel, and oversee implementation of Council's Safer School precincts
  • ensure the travelling public is satisfied with Brisbane’s bus and ferry services
  • plan for the necessary growth in Brisbane’s public transport services to meet population growth and public expectations
  • operationalise Brisbane Metro services and progress the expansion of the Brisbane Metro into more suburbs.

Committee membership

Chair Councillor Adam Allan
Members Councillor Tracy Davis
Councillor Sandy Landers

Committee responsibilities

The Councillor Ethics Committee is responsible for considering the findings and recommendations put forward to Council regarding a suspected conduct breach by a Councillor.

The Committee meets on an as-needed basis. For more information, visit Code of Conduct for Councillors. 

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Councillors and wards

Council strategies

City of Brisbane Act and Regulation

Council and committee meetings

Council holds different types of meetings, including ordinary, special and budget Council meetings, and standing committee meetings. 

Members of the public are welcome to attend any Council meeting, except for the Civic Cabinet meetings. 

Ordinary Council and standing committee meetings are held weekly on Tuesdays, except during recess periods. 

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All meetings are held at Brisbane City Hall, 64 Adelaide Street, Brisbane.

Council and Standing Committee meeting schedule

Time Committee City Hall meeting room
8.30-9am City Planning and Suburban Renewal Committee 2
9-9.30am Transport Committee 1 and 3
9-9.30am Infrastructure Committee 2
9.30-10am Finance and City Governance Committee 1 and 3
9.30-10am City Standards Committee 2
10-10.30am Community and the Arts Committee 1 and 3
10.30-11am Environment, Parks and Sustainability Committee 1 and 3
1pm Council meeting Council Chamber
Meets on an as-needed basis Councillor Ethics Committee Determined prior to meeting

Recess periods

Council doesn't hold meetings when it’s in recess. The following are the recess periods for 2025.

Summer Recess 2024-25 Last Committee meeting – 26 November 2024
Last Council meeting – 3 December 2024
Council and Committees resume – 4 February 2025
Autumn Recess Last Committee meeting - 18 March
Last Council - 25 March 2025
Council and Committees resume - 13 May 2025
Winter Recess Last Committee meeting - 10 June 2025
Last Council meeting - 17 June 2025
Budget meetings commence 18 June 2025 and finish 27 June 2025
Council and Committees resume - 5 August 2025
Spring Recess Last Committee meeting – 9 September 2025
Last Council meeting – 16 September 2025
Council and Committees resume – 4 November 2025
Summer Recess 2025-26 Last Committee meeting – 2 December 2025
Last Council meeting – 9 December 2025
Council and Committees resume – 3 February 2026

Download a copy of the Council and Standing Committee recess calendar, for your reference.

Get involved

You can attend Council meetings as an observer and speak at an ordinary meeting. Alternatively, you can read the meeting minutes or watch the livestream and recordings of ordinary meetings.

Council ordinary meetings are held in City Hall’s Council Chamber. Meeting agendas are published before the meeting. 

Seating is available in the public gallery, which is located at the back of the Council Chamber. City Hall staff will direct you to the designated area. 

The Council Chamber and committee rooms are fully accessible to people with disability. For more information, phone Council on 07 3403 8888 or learn about accessibility at City Hall.

You can also take a virtual tour of the Council Chamber.

Rules of attendance

All attendees need to follow behavioral guidelines so Council meetings can run smoothly and cover all items on the agenda.

Ordinary Council meetings

If you attend an ordinary Council meeting, you’re bound by the Meetings Local Law 2001 and the conditions of entry to the public gallery area are:

  • remain silent
  • don't interrupt the conduct of business
  • don't record or photograph from the public gallery without approval from the Chair of Council.
Standing Committee meetings

If you attend a Standing Committee meeting, you must not:

  • interrupt the meeting
  • speak at any time
  • enter or leave the room after the meeting has started
  • argue with the Chair if they ask you to leave.

Read the full list of entry conditions for attending ordinary Council and Committee meetings.

You can apply for approval to speak at ordinary Council meetings to share your views on matters of public interest. 

How to apply

1. Download the application to address Council. 

You can also pick up a copy of the application form from:

2. Submit your application by:
  • emailing Council
  • mailing to: 
    Brisbane City Council 
    GPO Box 1434 
    Brisbane Qld 4001.

If you’re approved

If the Chair of Council approves your application to speak at an ordinary Council meeting:

  • you'll have a maximum of 5 minutes to speak
  • no one in the meeting can interrupt you
  • Council can’t debate any issue you raise
  • the Lord Mayor or a Standing Committee Chair may respond on Council's behalf, and you must not interrupt or debate any of the issues.
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Have a question about public participant speeches?

  • Phone Council on 07 3403 8888.
  • There are other ways to voice your opinion to Council. To discuss issues affecting your community, see our community engagement opportunities. 

If you can’t attend an ordinary Council meeting, you can watch the livestream on YouTube from 1pm every Tuesday (except during recess periods).

Things to remember:

  • you can’t pause, stop or restart the livestream
  • ‘Streaming paused for Meeting adjournment’ means the meeting will begin again shortly
  • recordings are uploaded to Council’s YouTube channel after each livestream.
Watch livestream and view past recordings

Meeting minutes and documents

Standing Committee meeting and Council meeting documents, including agendas, minutes and reports, are made publicly available. Council meeting documents can also be viewed at the Brisbane Square Library.

Due to the nature of some materials considered at meetings, not all documents are suitable to be published publicly. If you need further information regarding material that is not available online, or to arrange to view these documents, email Council.

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Note

We endeavour to provide all documents in a format accessible to website assistive technologies where possible. Phone Council on 07 3403 8888 if you require additional assistance accessing or interpreting any of these documents.

Upcoming committee and Council meetings

Past Council meeting minutes

Past Standing Committee meeting minutes and presentations

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Establishment and Coordination Committee (Civic Cabinet) minutes

Civic Cabinet has adopted a publication scheme for the proactive public release of submissions (and their attachments) and decisions. They are published online within 10 business days.

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Note

This scheme operates from 5 September 2022. Decisions made prior to 5 September 2022 will include a summary only. 

Search the publication scheme

Civic Cabinet meeting minutes are published online after four years. The minutes are released at the end of the financial year.

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Note

In compliance with the Right to Information Act 2009, some parts of the minutes have been removed. Some minutes refer to attachments that have not been included and are not accessible as part of this release of information.

2019-2020 releases

2018-2019 releases

2017-2018 releases

2016-2017 releases

2015-2016 releases

2014-2015 releases

2013-2014 releases

2012-2013 releases

2011-2012 releases

2010-2011 releases

Civic Cabinet decisions that are 10 years of age are released at the end of the financial year.

This only includes decisions of Civic Cabinet and not matters referred from Civic Cabinet to full Council. Decisions of full Council are available in Council meeting minutes.

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Note

In compliance with the Right to Information Act 2009, some parts of the decisions have been removed. Some decisions refer to attachments that have not been included.

You may be able to access these documents under the Right to Information Act 2009. If you need access, contact Council.

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Frequently asked questions

Yes, the public is welcome to attend ordinary Council meetings and most standing Committee meetings. Learn about all the ways you can get involved.

Recordings of Council ordinary meetings are made available online as soon as possible. You can view them on our YouTube channel.

Recordings of Council meetings are available for 12 months on our YouTube channel. If the recording is no longer available, you can read the meeting minutes.

Council meeting minutes are a written record of everything that is said in the Council Chamber during an ordinary meeting. This includes:

  • speeches by public speakers 
  • question time
  • standing committee presentations
  • resolutions adopted by Council
  • new questions raised that require further investigation (known as questions on notice)
  • answers to previous questions on notice.

Recordings of Council meetings can’t be downloaded, but they’re available online for 12 months for you to watch.

You can watch recordings of Council meetings on our YouTube channel.