Media

In a New South Wales strata scheme, the owners corporation is the legal entity made up of every lot owner, and the strata committee is the smaller group elected to make day-to-day decisions on its behalf. If you have just joined a committee, or you are weighing up whether to nominate, it helps to know exactly what the role involves before you put your hand up. This guide explains strata committee responsibilities in NSW in plain language, including how the committee is formed, what each office bearer does, and where the limits of its authority sit.

What the strata committee is responsible for

The strata committee handles the routine running of the scheme so that owners do not need to call a general meeting for every decision. Its work covers maintaining and repairing common property, arranging insurance, enforcing by-laws, overseeing the budget and levies set by the owners' corporation, and acting as the first point of contact when owners raise issues. A decision made by the committee generally counts as a decision of the owners' corporation, which is why following the correct process matters so much.

Under the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015, a strata committee can have between one and nine members, and larger schemes of more than one hundred lots must have at least three. Members are elected by owners, usually at the annual general meeting, although recent reforms allow elections to be held at other general meetings as well. In schemes where at least half of the lots are tenanted, tenants may nominate a tenant representative who can attend and contribute, though they cannot vote.

Chairperson, secretary and treasurer duties

Once a committee is elected, it appoints three office bearers at its first meeting: a chairperson, a secretary and a treasurer. One person can hold more than one of these positions, although spreading them across different members improves accountability. The NSW Government sets out these positions in its guidance on strata roles, and the strata committee roles below reflect how they work in practice.

Chairperson

The chairperson runs general meetings and committee meetings. Their job is to confirm that a quorum is present, follow the agenda, keep the discussion orderly and fair, and declare the result of each vote. From 1 July 2025, these chairperson responsibilities were formally written into the Act, which means determining quorum and keeping the meeting on track are now clear legal duties rather than informal courtesies. One point that surprises many new members is that the chairperson does not hold a casting vote. They vote as an ordinary member only.

Secretary

The secretary carries most of the administrative load. Secretary duties include arranging and convening meetings, preparing and distributing agendas and minutes, keeping the strata roll up to date, issuing notices, answering correspondence addressed to the owners' corporation, and making records available for inspection. Strong organisation is the most useful trait here, because notice periods and record requests are time sensitive.

Treasurer

The treasurer looks after the money. Treasurer duties cover keeping accounting records, preparing financial statements, issuing levy notices and helping the owners' corporation track contributions and arrears. A member with a finance background is valuable in this role, though the treasurer does not need to be an accountant. Many committees rely on their strata manager for the detailed bookkeeping, while the treasurer keeps oversight.

Decisions the committee can and cannot make

The committee has broad authority over operational matters, but several decisions are reserved for the owners' corporation at a general meeting. The committee cannot set or change levies, it cannot pass or amend by-laws, and it cannot commit to major expenditure that sits outside its delegated limits. Decisions that change the rights of owners, or that the owners' corporation has specifically reserved to itself, also need a general meeting.

There is an important safeguard built into the legislation. If owners whose combined unit entitlement is more than one-third of the scheme give written notice opposing a committee decision before it is made, that decision has no force or effect. In other words, the committee leads day-to-day management, but the wider ownership keeps the final say on significant matters.

Working with the strata manager

Most schemes appoint a licensed strata managing agent, and many of the chairperson, secretary and treasurer functions are delegated to them. This does not remove the office bearers' authority. They can still act in their roles, and they remain responsible for oversight. A good working relationship usually means the manager handles compliance tasks, scheduling, finance administration and correspondence, while the committee sets direction and makes the decisions that need owner judgment.

If your committee is reviewing how well that relationship is working, a structured review can be a useful starting point. You can read more about our residential services or book a strata management health check to see where time and cost are being lost.

Record keeping and conflict controls

Accurate records are not optional. The owners corporation must keep the strata roll, minutes of meetings, financial records and correspondence, and it must retain key documents and proxies for the periods set in the legislation. Owners have the right to inspect these records, so they need to be complete and accessible. The NSW Government publishes detailed record-keeping requirements that explain what must be held and for how long.

Conflict of interest controls have tightened in recent years. A committee member cannot vote on a matter where they have a financial interest, and non-financial owners cannot vote until their contributions are paid. Owners can also remove a committee member by majority resolution, and a member removed this way cannot serve again for twelve months. These controls exist to keep decisions fair and defensible.

Common committee mistakes

• Skipping notice or meeting procedures can make an otherwise reasonable decision invalid and open to challenge.
• Acting beyond the committee's authority, for example, committing to spending or by-law changes that belong to a general meeting.
• Letting record keeping slip, so the scheme struggles to answer owner requests or prepare for an audit.
• Overlooking conflicts of interest, which undermines trust and can void a decision.
• Neglecting long-term planning, particularly the capital works fund, leads to special levies and friction later.

FAQs

How many members can a strata committee have in NSW?

A committee can have between one and nine members. Schemes with more than one hundred lots must have at least three members. The owners' corporation decides the exact number at a general meeting before the election is held.

Who appoints the chairperson, secretary and treasurer?

The committee appoints its own office bearers at the first meeting after it is elected. Owners do not vote for these positions directly. The committee decides among its elected members, and one person may hold more than one office.

Can a strata committee make decisions without the owners?

Yes, for day-to-day matters within its delegated authority. It cannot set levies, change by-laws or commit to major expenditure reserved for the owners' corporation. Owners holding more than one-third of the unit entitlement can also block a committee decision in writing before it is made.

Do committee members get paid?

No. Serving on a strata committee is a voluntary role. Reasonable out-of-pocket expenses can be reimbursed if the owners' corporation agrees, but members are not paid for their time.

What happens if a committee member has a conflict of interest?

They must not vote on the matter they are conflicted on. Disclosing the interest and stepping back from that decision keeps the committee resolution valid and protects the member.

Set your committee up for a smoother year

Understanding strata committee roles is the first step. Running the scheme well, year after year, is easier with the right support behind your office bearers. StrataOne helps NSW committees stay compliant, organised and on top of the everyday, so volunteers are not carrying the load alone. Explore our strata services, request a strata management health check, or speak with our team to talk through what your committee needs.