This article discusses lot owner rights to attend and speak at a Queensland body corporate committee meetings under section 63 of the Standard Module.
Question: Is it okay for a lot owner to speak and participate throughout a committee meeting, or should they only observe?
At our committee meetings, one lot owner attends every meeting and constantly talks and gives opinions. The chairperson allows this and lets anyone else in attendance speak whenever they want. Aren’t lot owners supposed to observe and only speak at the end if invited or given permission? What’s the correct process?
Answer: The attendance of a non-voting committee member (i.e., owner) at a committee meeting is subject to several qualifiers.
Yes, you’re right: the attendance of a non-voting committee member (i.e., owner) at a committee meeting is subject to several qualifiers, provided for under section 63 of the Standard Module (equivalent provisions of other Regulation Modules).
Of particular relevance to your query is s63(8):
- The person may—
- subject to subsections (6) and (7), observe the meeting; and
- speak to the committee only if invited to speak by the committee.
So, looking at the above, it’s fine for an owner to speak at any time (not just at the end), although it should be subject to the above qualifiers. There are some parts of the meeting where the owner shouldn’t be there at all.
We know from experience of having attended quite a few committee meetings for clients, the above process doesn’t always get followed. There are several meetings we’ve been at where there has been open exchange of dialogue, all quite cordial and respectful, yet nonetheless, not following the strict rules above. There’s an argument to suggest that’s how a committee meeting should be. On the other hand, if it becomes a free-for-all, it’s challenging to manage and disrupts the flow of committee business. And committee meetings, by their nature, are – and should be – different from general meetings.
Perhaps there are reasons your chair prefers to allow this person to say ‘a lot’. And perhaps there are reasons for them to say ‘a lot’. Maybe it’s better this way, rather than handling it another way and taking up too much time (and space) at a committee meeting, where there are likely many other items for decision. You may want to discuss the legislative provisions above with the chair and suggest they conduct future meetings differently. Do so sensitively, though. You don’t want to be thought of as the person who stifles discussion (even if it’s legitimate).
This is general information only, not legal advice.
Chris Irons
Strata Solve
E: chris@stratasolve.com.au
P: 0419 805 898
This post appears in the November 2025 edition of The QLD Strata Magazine.
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Read next:
- QLD: Q&A Holding Positions on the Executive and Ordinary Committee
- QLD: Right of owners to attend body corporate committee meetings
- QLD: Q&A Body Corporate Decision Making
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