Electoral signage requires development consent unless it meets the following requirements for exempt development specified in the NSW State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008.
13 Election signs
2.106 Specified development
(1) The display of any poster that contains electoral matter in relation to an election held under the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 of the Commonwealth, the Parliamentary Electorates and Elections Act 1912 or the Local Government Act 1993 is development specified for the purposes of this code.
(2) In this clause, electoral matter means:
(a) any matter that is intended or calculated or likely to affect or is capable of affecting the result of an election or that is intended or calculated or likely to influence or is capable of influencing an elector in relation to the casting of his or her vote at an election, or
(b) the name of a candidate at an election, the name of the party of any such candidate and the picture of any such candidate (including any photograph of the candidate and any drawing or printed matter that purports to depict any such candidate or to be a likeness or representation of any such candidate).
2.107 Development standards
The standards specified for that development are that the development must:
(a) not be more than 0.8m2 in area, and
(b) if on the site of a heritage item or draft heritage item—not be attached to a building, and
(c) be displayed by or on behalf of a candidate at an election referred to in clause 2.106 or the party (if any) of any such candidate, and
(d) be displayed in accordance with any relevant requirements of the Act under which the election is held, and
(e) be displayed only during the following periods:
(i) 5 weeks immediately preceding the day on which the election is held,
(ii) the day on which the election is held,
(iii) 1 week immediately following the day on which the election is held.
Any election signage placed on public lands or road reserves are not permissible and will be removed. Please also note corflute signs that relate to electoral material are also not permitted. Corflutes may be used to promote a specific community or non-profit event such as fetes, council community events and charity fund raising events for example.
The typical AO poster signs erected on private land and fences do not require approval.
