NSW: Q&A When can a committee member be asked to leave a committee meeting?

This article discusses when a strata committee member can be asked to leave a committee meeting due to a conflict of interest under NSW strata laws.

Question: Can a committee member be asked to leave for part of a meeting? The committee refused to disclose the matter discussed until the minutes were released.

At a recent committee meeting, a unit owner who is also a committee member was asked to leave for 20 minutes while other members discussed a matter. When allowed back into the meeting, the committee did not explain the discussion’s content and said the excluded member would find out from the meeting minutes. Is it permissible for a committee to exclude a member in this way and withhold information discussed during that time?

Answer: A strata committee member is entitled to attend, participate and remain present in all committee meetings and be involved in decisions unless there is a conflict of interest.

A strata committee member is entitled to attend, participate and remain present in all committee meetings and be involved in decisions unless there is a conflict of interest. If there is a conflict of interest, the committee should resolve that they must leave for that agenda item.

The chairperson of the meeting should ensure that the meeting is conducted properly and ensure fairness. The basic principles suggest that all committee members are entitled to participate in discussions and decisions. Excluding a member without a formal process may be deemed improper conduct.

The minutes must record the declaration of the interest, the resolution that the committee member leave the meeting, the period they were absent and when they rejoined the meeting.

Mark Louis
Vital Strata Management
E: mark@vitalstrata.com.au
P: 02 9008 1112

This post appears in the December 2025 edition of The NSW Strata Magazine.

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Read next:

• NSW: Q&A What can owners do if the committee makes decisions outside of formal meetings?
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