Project:  West Mount Lofty Ranges Water Prescription Proposal Public Information Meetings

In August 2004, the state government announced their intention to prescribe water resources in the West Mount Lofty Ranges region. This proposal had the potential to profoundly affect future access to and use of water by individuals, business and communities in this diverse and populous region (Barossa Valley to Cape Jervis).

As a key part of an overall communication and engagement process, the Department for Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation (DWLBC) decided to run a series of 12 public information meetings throughout the region. This would provide affected stakeholders and other interested parties with information and an opportunity for initial questions and feedback on the prescription proposal. Large numbers of people were expected to attend and the mood of at least some of the meetings was expected to be hostile.

What We Did
Our consultants worked closely with the DWLBC project officers to design a meeting agenda that allowed the necessary information to be presented and participants to ask questions and make comments in a safe environment. We identified and booked suitable venues and organised catering for the meetings which each had attendances between 100 – 200 people. The meetings were facilitated and speakers were kept to time, question/comment sessions handled smoothly and disruptive elements handled firmly but with sensitivity and respect.

What We Achieved
We created a meeting environment where information was presented clearly and people had the opportunity to ask questions and make comments in an atmosphere of respect, decorum and physical comfort.

This enabled participants to gain a clearer picture as to what the proposal meant to them personally and the next steps they may wish to take. DWLBC was able to better identify concerns that stakeholders may have and gaps in information that needed to be addressed.

These meetings set the tone for remainder of the prescription proposal process, enabling it to be implemented relatively smoothly.

Contact:  Paul Erkelenz