STATE Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin has welcomed the release of a new guide to strengthen consultation practices with regional, rural and remote communities across the state, by the Minns Labor Government.
Ms Saffin said the Regional Communities Consultation Guide was a positive outcome for the community as it set clear benchmarks for the Government’s approach to consulting with regional rural and remote communities, including Aboriginal communities and meant that better, more informed decisions would be made.
The release of the Guide follows the introduction of the Regional Communities (Consultation Standards) Act 2024, by Independent Member for Barwon, Roy Butler.
In a state first this legislation enshrines that compliance with the guide is required for certain consultations, setting a clear standard that those affected by decisions should be involved in the decision-making process.
The Guide is informed by in-depth stakeholder engagement across regional and rural communities, to ensure the priorities and expectations of regional, rural and remote communities are reflected. This included direct engagement with peak organisations including the NSW Aboriginal Land Council, Local Government NSW and the Country Mayors Association.
Further, around 200 stakeholders participated in eight regional listening sessions held in, Lismore, Port Macquarie, Newcastle, Broken Hill, Wagga Wagga, Nowra, Narrabri and Bourke.
The guide will be rolled out across agencies for immediate use and can be downloaded along with a detailed engagement summary here: www.haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au/consultation-regional-communities.
Ms Saffin said:
“I spoke in Parliament in support of the Member for Barwon’s Bill on this because we needed a better standard for government consultation with regional, remote and rural communities. The release of this guide is a step in the right direction, and I welcome the Government’s action in ensuring solutions in our communities are informed by the people who are most impacted by them.
“The Guide provides certainty to our communities about what they can expect of NSW Government consultation and it will lead to more locally relevant and culturally appropriate engagement.
Chris Minns, Premier of New South Wales said:
“No-one knows what a local community needs better than the people who actually call that place home – that’s what this is about, ensuring that the people impacted by the decisions we make are a part of the decision making process.
“It’s a commonsense step, which I’m grateful Roy brought to the table because I genuinely think our state will be stronger for it.
“Every community is different, from large regional centres to small remote villages and the people within these communities are equally different and diverse too, our engagement and solutions as a government should reflect that.”
NSW Minister for Agriculture, Regional NSW and Western NSW, Tara Moriarty said:
“This guide – underpinned by transparency, accountability, and best practice – is a reflection of what regional, rural and remote communities have told us they want from NSW Government agencies.
“Effective community and stakeholder engagement is fundamental to good governance.
“This new guide demonstrates our commitment to improving consultation practices.”
