4.1 LOCAL COUNCIL
The most important organisation you can talk to, in most instances, is the local council. Each council will have their own way of dealing with special events and will require different types of information from event organisers. In some cases the council may require you to lodge a formal development or event application. Others will require different applications. You should speak with the local council to find out their process for event approvals.

It is recommended that you approach the council at least four months in advance of your proposed event. Depending on the scale of the event, more than twelve months could be required to address all issues. The NSW Department of Local Government recommends having information on the following to hand (if they are relevant to your event) for your preliminary discussions with council:

• food and beverage (See Section 4. 2)
• fireworks (also see WorkCover NSW, NSW Police and NSW Fire Brigades/NSW 
Rural Fire Service in Section 4. 2, and 6. 13

• safety (see 6. Safety and security)
• security (see6. Safety and security )
• insurance (see 6.2 Safety and security)
• emergency vehicle access (see 6. 4 Safety and security)
• erection of signage (see 6. 7 Safety and security)
• expected crowd numbers and crowd management (see 6. 9 Safety and security)
• location/site plan (see 6.10 Safety and security)
• erection of structures such as stages, amusement rides, etc (see 6. 14 Safety and security)
• electricity (see 6. 17 Safety and security)
• waste management (see 9. 3 Health)
• toilets (see 9. 4 Health)
• first aid (see 9. 5 Health)
• noise (see 9. 6 Health)
• traffic, transport and public transport (see 10. Traffic and transport issues)
• duration of event and timing of activities (including setting up and packing up the event) 

For a full list of councils, go to the Department of Local Government’s website at www.dlg.nsw.gov.au or phone them on (02) 4428 4100. A resource document outlining council decision-making processes in relation to events is also available at that website.
                                                                                                                            

4.2 WHO ELSE SHOULD YOU TALK TO?

There are many other organisations, government departments, and regulatory and statutory authorities you may need to talk to about your event. Some will require formal approvals for events, while others can provide advice or assistance to help ensure your event is well-managed and safe.

Who you contact will depend on the size and nature of your event. The list below (and in Appendix A) is not comprehensive and there may be other approvals you must obtain before running your event. It is your responsibility to ensure you have received all the approvals necessary to stage your event.

Ambulance Service of NSW—contact to discuss:
• emergency response plan (also see NSW Police, NSW Fire Brigades/NSW Rural
Fire Service (below) and 4. 1 Who should you talk to? and 6.4 Safety and security)
• provision of care for sick and injured.

For more information about the Ambulance Service of NSW’s provision of service to events phone the Sports and Services section on (02) 8752 0413 or go to www.ambulance.nsw.gov.au

Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA)—contact to discuss:
• the use of music at your event—either live or pre-recorded; recording or music video (also see Phonographic Performance Company of Australia (below) and 13.1 Music and performers).

For detailed information about how to obtain a licence to use music at your event phone APRA on 1300 852 388 or go to www.apra.com.au/music-users

Bureau of Meteorology—contact to discuss:
• weather forecasts for your event (also see 6.15 Safety and security).

For more details about the weather services provided by the Bureau of Meteorology phone (02) 9296 1555 or go to their website at www.bom.gov.au

The Centre for Volunteering (home of Volunteering NSW)—contact to discuss:
• recruitment and management of volunteers (also see 12. Volunteers)
• insurance for volunteers (also see 6.2 Safety and security, 7. Legal issues , 12. Volunteers)
• volunteer and organisation rights and responsibilities (also see WorkCover NSW (below) and Sections 6.5 Safety and security and 7. Legal issues).

For more detailed information about the recruitment and management of volunteers call The Centre for Volunteering on (02) 9261 3600 or visit their website at www.volunteering.com.au

Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care (DADHC)—contact to discuss:
• making your event accessible to people with special needs e.g. people with a disability, seniors etc. (also see Disability Council of NSW and Physical Disability
Council of NSW (below) and 11. Accessibility)
• planning an event for a senior audience.

For more details about accessibility issues contact the Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care on (02) 8270 2000 or go to their website at www.dadhc.nsw.gov.au

Department of Environment and Climate Change—contact to discuss:
• noise regulations (also see 9.6 Health)
• waste management (also see 9. 3 Health).

Contact the Department of Environment and Conservation on 131 555 or visit their website for:
noise control—www.environment.nsw.gov.au/noise/index.htm 
waste management—www.environment.nsw.gov.au/waste/wg-02.htm

NSW Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing—contact to discuss:
• fundraising activities at your event (see 14. Fundraising for more details)
• the sale of alcohol (also see NSW Police (below) and 4. 1 Who should you talk to? and 6.8 Safety and security).  A liquor licence is required for all events held in NSW where liquor is to be sold.

For more detailed information about fundraising see 14. Fundraising.
For more detailed information about the service of alcohol see 6. 8 Safety and security.

Disability Council of NSW—contact to discuss:
• making your event accessible to people with a disability (also see Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care (above), Physical Disability Council of NSW (below) and 11. Accessibility).

For more detailed information contact the Disability Council of New South Wales on (02) 9211 2866 or go to their website at www.disabilitycouncil.nsw.gov.au

Landowners/venue managers—contact to discuss:
• special rules and regulations applying to the site/venue where you are holding the event
• insurance required (also see 6.2 Safety and security)
• activities allowed on the site/venue
• approved suppliers
• emergency response plan (also see 6.4 Safety and security)
• crowd management issues (also see 6.9 Safety and security).

Local indigenous representatives—contact to discuss:
• the Welcome to Country—this ceremony should, where possible, be undertaken by Elders, locally recognised Aboriginal community spokespersons or a locally recognised cultural service provider.

National Parks and Wildlife Service—contact to discuss:
• use of venues and sites within NSW national parks and other reserves, such as nature reserves, regional parks and state conservation areas administered by the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

For details of venues and sites contact the National Parks and Wildlife Service on 1300 361 967 or visit their website at www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au

NSW Fire Brigades or NSW Rural Fire Service, as applicable—contact to discuss:
• use of fire or other hazardous materials such as barbeques, bonfires, gas bottles and candles. (Note that this is not a comprehensive list of possible hazards. You should carefully consider what other hazards may be associated with your event and also see 6.17 Safety and security)
• use of fireworks (also see NSW Police and WorkCover (below) and 4. 1 Who should you talk to? and 6.13 Safety and security)
• fire regulations if your event will be held indoors
• emergency response plan (also see Ambulance Service of NSW (above), NSW Police (below) and 4. 1 Who should you talk to?  and 6.4 Safety and security).

For metropolitan areas, more information and contact details of your local brigade or the Fire Safety Division can be obtained by phoning (02) 9742 7400 or by going to http://fire.nsw.gov.au/page.php?id=51

For regional areas, contact the NSW Rural Fire Service headquarters on
(02) 8741 5555 or go to www.rfs.nsw.gov.au, which has details of regional offices.

NSW Food Authority—contact to discuss:
• service of food and beverages at your event (also see 9.1 Health )

For more details of the information you may be required to provide to the NSW Food Authority phone 1300 552 406 or go to
www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/industry/fb-notification.asp

NSW Maritime Authority—contact to discuss:
• aquatic events held on all NSW waterways (including Sydney Harbour).

For more information about holding your event on the water call the NSW Maritime Authority on (02) 9563 8504 or visit their website at www.maritime.nsw.gov.au/docs/application-aquaticlic.pdf

NSW Police—contact to discuss:
• control of crowds (also see 6. 9 Safety and security)
• control of traffic (also see Roads and Traffic Authority (below) and 4.1 Who should you talk to? and 10. Traffic and transport issues)
• use of fireworks (also see WorkCover NSW (below) and 4.1 Who should you talk to? and 6. 15 Safety and security
• service of alcohol (also see Department of Gaming and Racing (above) and 4. 1 Who should you talk to? and 6. 8 Safety and security)
• emergency response plan (also see Ambulance Service of NSW, NSW Fire Brigades/NSW Rural Fire Service (above) and 4. 1 Who should you talk to and 6. 1 Safety and security). 

Contact your local area command to discuss your event. More details of local area commands can be found by visiting the NSW Police website at www.police.nsw.gov.au

Phonographic Performance Company of Australia—contact to discuss:
• use of pre-recorded music at your event—either a recording (including in a film) or music video (also see Australasian Performing Right Association (above) and 13. 1 Music and performers).

For detailed information about how to obtain a licence to use pre-recorded music at your event phone the Phonographic Performance Company of Australia on (02) 8569 1111 or go to www.ppca.com.au/licensing.htm

Physical Disability Council of NSW—contact to discuss:
• making your event accessible to people with a disability (also see Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care and the Disability Council of NSW (above) and 11. Accessibility).

For more information about making your event accessible phone the Physical Disability Council of NSW on (02) 9552 1606 or go to their website at www.pdcnsw.org.au

RailCorp—contact to discuss:
• how to transport large numbers of people by rail to and from your event, should you be anticipating a large event (also see 10. Traffic and transport issues and 11. Accessibility).

For more information phone RailCorp on (02) 9379 4948 or visit their website at www.railcorp.info

Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA)—contact to discuss:
• any disruption to road users (also see NSW Police (above) and 4.1 Who should you talk to?and 10. Traffic and transport issues)
• application for a Road Occupancy Licence to secure event space where road closures or road access to a venue is required
• any other traffic issues (also see NSW Police (above) and 10. Traffic and transport issues).

Call the RTA’s main enquiry line 131 782 for more details, or to download their guide to special events go to www.rta.nsw.gov.au/usingroads/index.html and under Useful Downloads select Special Events Guide.

State Transit Authority—contact to discuss:
• road closures that will impact on bus routes
• how to transport large numbers of people to and from your event by bus in Sydney or Newcastle, or by ferry in Newcastle. This is only relevant to large events (also see 10. Traffic and transport issues and 11. Accessibility).

For more information call the State Transit Authority on (02) 9245 5777 or visit their website at www.sta.nsw.gov.au

Sydney Ferries Corporation—contact to discuss:
• transporting large numbers of people around Sydney Harbour and the Parramatta River
• Events that will have an impact on ferry routes and timetables.

For more information phone the Sydney Ferries Corporation on (02) 9246 8300 or visit their website at www.sydneyferries.info

Taxi Council of NSW—contact to discuss:
• requesting the presence of taxis to take people to and from your event (also see 10. Traffic and transport issues and 11. Accessibility)
• arranging Special Event taxi ranks and obtaining advice on their set-up
• road closures.

For more information phone the Taxi Council on (02) 9332 1266 or visit their website at www.nswtaxi.org.au

Wastewise Events—contact to discuss:
• the implementation of an effective waste management plan at your event.

For more details phone (02) 8837 6000 or go to www.environment.nsw.gov.au/education/WWE_Home.htm

WorkCover NSW—contact to discuss:
• use of fireworks (also see NSW Fire Brigades/NSW Rural Fire Service and NSW Police (above) and 6.3 Safety and security)
• occupational health and safety issues related to staff, volunteers and contractors (also see 6.5 Safety and security).

For detailed information about the use of fireworks and permits phone the Hazardous Materials Hotline on (02) 4321 5499 or go to www.workcover.nsw.gov.au

For detailed information about occupational health and safety responsibilities and legislation phone WorkCover on 13 10 50 or go to www.workcover.nsw.gov.au/OHS 
                                                                                                                          

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