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Stakeholder Engagement Assessment

Stakeholder Engagement

This section of the report provides an analysis of Snowy 2.0’s stakeholder engagements. Clear objectives were established in the beginning and in order to ensure that all these objectives were met, an end-to-end framework for stakeholder engagement was developed. 

Stakeholder Engagement Framework

This include five key phases:
 

  1. Identify 

  2. Design and prepare 

  3. Engage

  4. Provide feedback 

  5. Review

 

Phase 1: Identify – This phase attempts to completely identify all of stakeholders and impacts

 

Four key stakeholders were identified: the government (including all the separate departments), local community, local industry groups and media.

 

A range of potential impacts to stakeholders were also identified early in the assessment process. These include:

  1. Opportunities and impacts on local employment and businesses

  2. Benefits and impacts to towns and localities in the region

  3. Benefits and impacts to services in the region 

  4. Opportunities and impacts on recreation and tourism 

  5. Impacts and benefits on roads 

  6. Impacts on environment and heritage 

Phase 2: Design and prepare – definition of desired level of engagement (to inform, consult, involve or collaborate) and the development of corresponding stakeholder
 

Targeted methods pf consultations and engagement from the IAP2’s spectrum was identified to match the needs of each stakeholder group. Clear goals to inform, consult, involve and collaborate with each stakeholder group was outlines. 

Phase 3: Engage – commence stakeholder engagement in line with the level identified in the previous phase and implement relevant methods. This outlines all engagement tools and activities

 

A range of engagement tools were clearly outlined in the report, ranging from publication and information materials to the use of surveys and Snowy Hydro staff responding to enquiries and also access to the Snowy Hydro Discovery and Visitor Centres. 

Furthermore, a range of permanent communication channel have been established for Snowy 2.0 to seek input from stakeholders and to support stakeholder engagement, these include:

  • The Snowy Hydro website to provide background information, videos, frequently asked questions, maps etc.

  • FGJV website and site office in Cooma

  • A dedicated project email address to aid project feedback and comments  

  • A dedicated project free call number for feedback, questions and comments 

 

Between November 2017 and July 2019, two community drop-in sessions and two community briefing were held. In addition to this, 3 online surveys and one telephone survey was also conducted to facilitate stakeholder engagement within the community.

Finally, Snowy Hydro sends out a quarterly community newsletter which is delivered by mailbox drop and provides project updates to communities in Snowy Valleys and Snowy Monaro Regional LGAs. 

Phase 4: Provide Feedback - this phase attempts to capture feedback during stakeholder engagement and identify issues raised by the stakeholders to address throughout Snowy 2.0 and during the development of the EIS. 

 

The assessment of this phase is further analyzed in the public involvement page. 

 

Phase 5: Review - this phase attempted to implement a continuous improvement loop to assess the adequacy and effectiveness of engagement and where required, change the nature of engagement. 

 

As part of this phase Snowy Hydro has undertaken the following activities: 

  • Listened to feedback from stakeholders on their preferred styles and forms of communication and engagement as well as what information is most useful to them 

  • Research into better practice in community engagement 

  • Validation and testing with key internal stakeholders 

 

The report also provides details in the engagement with all the different government agencies, community, industry group and general public. 

Pictures of the community drop-in sessions and briefings 

Critique

The stakeholder engagement framework appears to be very thorough and well-planned out. However, many components of this engagement framework include on-going consultation and therefore phases 4 and 5, providing feedback and review processes are yet to occur. How well the concerns raised are addressed still appear to be observed. The key question to be raised is if there is a high majority of community opposition to the project, how will this be incorporated? 

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In addition to this, while in the context of government and industry engagement clear impacts and mitigations measures were outlined, in the context of community engagement although a detail outline of all the consultation meeting and impacts were outlined, in many occasions any response to issues and mitigative measures was missing.

Overview of engagement with community and industry groups

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