Community & Business
1 November, 2024
Community consultation standards bill passes both houses
The bill, introduced by Roy Butler in the Legislative Assembly and Minister for Regional NSW Tara Moriarty in the Legislative Council, will require government agencies or statutory bodies representing the Crown to consult according to a ‘consultation guide’ issued by the premier.
The bill's objective is to ensure that communities are genuinely and transparently engaged and consulted on projects that directly impact their health, culture, environment, economy, education, or well-being.
In developing the 'consultation guide,' the government has committed to holding a series of listening sessions with regional stakeholders, including members of parliament and local councils, over six months to address current consultation challenges and ensure the guide is fit for purpose.
The bill will not apply to projects with existing consultation requirements prescribed by an act of a minister.
Mr. Butler, member for Barwon, said, "Some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged communities in NSW are in our regions. It is crucial that when public money is being invested in these places, we get it right."
He added, "The Regional Communities (Consultation Standards) Bill will ensure a high level of accountability and transparency accompanies the spending of public money in regional communities."
"There are too many examples of consultation gone wrong in regional NSW. This occurs because bodies acting on behalf of the government lack an understanding of how these communities operate and their values. Introducing a consultation guide means communities can expect meaningful and genuine consultation on projects that directly impact them."
Mr. Butler thanked the NSW government and Minister Moriarty for supporting the bill and committing to providing regional NSW with greater accountability and understanding when engaging with their communities.
Minister Moriarty stated, "The government is always striving to do more to address challenges related to consultation with regional and remote communities. That's why the government has supported this bill, which will deliver better consultation in regional NSW to ensure effective policy and program delivery."
She added, "The bill gives certainty to stakeholders about how they can expect government to interact with them. It also demonstrates that the government is focused on genuinely listening to regional and remote stakeholders and commends the member for Barwon for bringing the issue to parliament."
