People are sometimes unaware that their activities are causing a nuisance. Ipswich City Council encourages all residents and business operators to talk to their neighbours first about nuisance problems and only make a complaint if the issue remains unresolved.
Lodging a complaint
All complaints excepting for those dealing with overgrown or unsightly properties should be lodged via phone. To lodge a complaint you will need to provide your name and contact details – this information is kept confidential. If anonymous complaints are received they may not be actioned, as some complaints investigated by Council, require specific information and an assessment of the impacts to the party involved.
Online complaint lodgement:
Complaints regarding overgrown or unsightly properties can be lodged online via the MyIpswich portal (registration or log-in required).
Telephone complaint lodgement:
Contact Council on (07) 3810 6666 and have the following information ready:
- Your name, address and phone number – this information is kept confidential
- Nuisance description – the date, time and source address
- Duration and frequency of the nuisance issue
- Impact on you, your property and/or the environment
- Vehicle description - make, model, colour, type (if applicable)
Actions by Council
Once a complaint has been lodged Council may, depending on the nature and severity of the complaint, take one or more of the following actions:
- Despatch a Council officer to visit the premises.
- Issue a warning
- Issue the offender a compliance notice explaining how to remedy the offense
- Issue a penalty infringement should the offender fail to comply with an issued notice
- Conduct any works required and charge the ratepayer
- Take any necessary further enforcement action (e.g. court proceedings)
Application to review the decision to issue a Compliance Notice
A person who is given a Compliance Notice under a local law may apply to the local government for a review of the decision.
An application to review the decision to issue the Compliance Notice must -
- Be in writing; and
- State the reasons that the applicant considers the decision should be reviewed; and
- Be lodged within ten (10) days from the date the Notice was received by the applicant.
Applications for review can be sent via email to council@ipswich.qld.gov.au or posted to PO Box 191, Ipswich, QLD, 4305.
Upon completing the review, Council or an authorised person may -
- Confirm the original decision; or
- Amend the original decision; or
- Substitute another decision for the original decision
Council or an authorised person must give the applicant written notice of the result of the review and the reasons for the decision. The local government has 40 business days to provide a written response as to the decision of the review.
Complaints outside Council jurisdiction
Any complaints regarding the below issues are not dealt with by Council and should be referred to the relevant body for resolution:
- Light emissions from freeways and highways, including on-ramps and off-ramps should be referred to the Department of Transport and Main Roads
- Environmentally-relevant activities regulated by the
Department of Environment and Science (e.g. chemical manufacturing) - Environmentally-relevant activities regulated by the
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (e.g. poultry farming) - State or local government premises or activities should be referred to the
Department of Environment and Science - Neighbourhood disputes should be referred to
Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT)