An inquiry into the Victorian Government’s community consultation practices has found that the Government’s current framework is not consistently applied to all engagements conducted by State departments and agencies.
The Legislative Council Environment and Planning Committee’s inquiry report makes 28 recommendations and 63 findings.
The Committee received 133 submissions, held three days of public hearings and conducted two online community roundtables on how engagement could be improved.
It is recommending the Victorian Government mandate the application of the Public Engagement Framework for all departments, agencies and their consultants or contractors when conducting engagement.
“We must strengthen the practical application of the Public Engagement Framework and ensure that engagement is undertaken early, transparently and with clear purpose,” said Committee Chair, Ryan Batchelor.
“With renewed focus and consistent application, we can support a genuine partnership between the government and community.”
The report recommends improving the framework to better define the purpose of engagement, identify participants, make participation accessible and provide better feedback.
“I would like to thank the community members, advocacy organisations, local governments, academics and departmental representatives who shared their experiences with us.
“Their insights demonstrated a belief that when government listens, everyone benefits,” he said.
You can read the full report on the Committee’s website.
