Community Engagement Policy

Listen

The Community Engagement Policy gives you an opportunity to have a say and be listened to.

The Community Engagement Policy:

outlines the purpose of the policy
sets out the policy objectives
describes our engagement approach
details the principles of engagement
presents how we plan and report on our community engagement

Purpose

Our goal is to involve the community in our decisions. By listening to you, we understand your needs and priorities better. This helps us make decisions that benefit everyone.

Policy Objectives

The Community Engagement Policy aims to:

give you an opportunity to influence decisions
guide engagement practices
improve decisions and services for the community.

Engagement Approach

We use the International Association of Public Participation (IAP2) Spectrum. This model helps us plan the best ways to engage with the community.

Level	Public Participation Goal	Our promise to you
Inform	To provide the public with balanced and objective information to assist them in understanding the problem, alternatives, opportunities, and/or solutions.	We will keep you informed.
Consult	To obtain public feedback on analysis, alternatives, and/or decisions.	We will listen to what you say and consider it when we make a decision.
Involve	To work directly with the public throughout the process to ensure that public concerns and aspirations are consistently understood and considered.	We will work with you to ensure your feedback is reflected in the decision.
Collaborate	To partner with the public in each aspect of the decision including the development of alternatives and the identification of the preferred solution.	We will work with you as we identify issues and opportunities and develop solutions. We will consider your advice as much as possible when we make the decision.
Empower	To place final decision making in the hands of the public.	We will implement what you decide.

Principles of Engagement

We follow these principles:

Meaningful: We give real opportunities for the community to participate.
Transparent: We explain how decisions are made and who makes them.
Respectful: We listen to the community’s values and needs.
Inclusive: We consider everyone and provide information in clear, accessible formats.
Informed: We give relevant information and enough time for the community to respond.

Planning and Reporting

Each engagement plan is unique and based on:

the decision’s importance and complexity
who is affected or interested
what the community needs to participate.

After engagement, we report back on:

what we heard
the decision made
next steps.

We aim to keep the community informed and involved throughout the process.

Take action: Read the full Community Engagement Policy to learn more.

Need help?

Or call our Community Engagement team on 9298 8000