People power is an increasingly influential component in the decision making process with regard to major projects in Western Australia. Alison Birrane reports on community consultation and the tussle over public involvement in industry and government dec
AS greater fiscal, environmental and social accountability is demanded of industry and all levels of government, local communities are playing an important consultative role on an array of major projects.
As a result, community consultation is turning into big business, with millions of dollars spent each year in Western Australia on consulting, sponsoring and partnering with community interests.
Those in favour of community consultation say it can save time and money in the long run and avoid project delays and clashes with residents later in the process.
In addition to the role of government, industry and community, a new breed of public consultant is shaping the field with increasingly sophisticated means of gauging public opinion.
Once the realm of public relations consultants, those who facilitate community consultation now hail from a variety of backgrounds, including business, engineering, environment, science and public policy, and are often employed on an independent basis.
Of course, the question some are asking is whether community consultation is just an effort to placate and con an often cynical and suspicious public.
What is certain is that there is now more community concern than in the past – a trend that is likely to continue as issues such as Cable Sands’ mining proposal at the Ludlow Tuart Forest and Gorgon’s project development on Barrow Island receive significant publicity.
Chamber of Minerals and Energy spokesman David Parker said many in the resources sector believed initial and ongoing public consultation could save time and money in the long term.
“I think it’s the way that industry does business now,” he said.
“I think it enhances the approval process. The regulator responds to any community concerns and this means any issues that could frustrate the process later are avoided.
“It’s a very constructive way to build relationships and dialogue with the operating communities.
“There is a widespread acceptance that there needs to be a licence to operate.”
At the State level, community consultation has been elevated on the State Government’s agenda, with Premier Geoff Gallop personally assuming responsibility for the portfolio of Citizenship and Multicultural Interests and establishing the Citizens and Civic Unit – a policy division responsible for forming community and public policy.
The premier will launch the State Government’s ‘citizenship strategy’ on May 24, which is believed to be an Australian first.
Further, Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan has been widely praised for her commitment to community consultation, this week announcing a $1.5 million initiative aimed at funding local government efforts to nurture community participation.
The $1.5 million will be spent on grants over the next two years, with $500,000 allocated in first round funding to assist councils to get community participation under way.
This initiative follows ‘dialogue with the city’, which was held in September 2003.
A crowd of 1,100 assembled at the Fremantle Passenger terminal to voice opinions on the future development of Perth.
Critics of the process have branded these efforts as ‘academic’ or merely a ‘talk fest’.
Others say that the funds and the efforts could go further.
Western Australian Local Government Association president Clive Robartson, while generally supportive of the State Government’s efforts, would like to see more assistance from government at the local level.
“I’d have to say that this minister [MacTiernan] has run some very good programs, including consultation on heavy haulage, freight goods and on ‘dialogue with the city’,” Mr Robartson said.
“We are a little disappointed with the level of consultation that takes place generally between local government and State government, and we’d like to see that improved.”
But despite increased consultation, the agendas of vocal minorities and public rallies continue to grab headlines as the community voices dissent and distrust over many major development plans.
In recent times, proposed developments at Leighton Beach, Ningaloo Reef, Port Coogee, South Beach, Cottesloe and now Scarborough Beach have received widespread media coverage due to well-organised community resistance.
In some cases there was a heightened level of community and local government suspicion, anger and cynicism due to those groups’ exclusion from the initial planning process.
Another factor is that many of those dissenting public voices, particularly in the case of Ningaloo, Leighton Beach and Scarborough, are not residents of the area affected.
This is indicative of a broader trend of regional communities getting involved in perceived public issues.
However, Dr Christina Gillgren, director of the State Government’s Citizens and Civics Unit, said part of this paradigm shift towards community consultation was driven by the fact that communities had changed.
“What we know is that the community has changed; people are more informed,” she said.
“With more dialogue with your stakeholders you are more likely to have the answers which impact on [project] timelines and that, in turn, affects the cost.
“This isn’t something that we’ve created artificially, this is what is happening.
“But even though the environment has changed, it doesn’t mean we can’t operate within it.
“This isn’t about people or minority groups dictating the agenda, it’s about taking people seriously.”
Dr Gillgren said involving the community was both common sense and good business practice.
“What is owned by people in the community is more likely to be maintained in the long run,” she said.
