Data

General Issues
Planning & Development
Specific Topics
Housing Planning
Transportation Planning
Infrastructure
Collections
Participedia Team
OECD Project on Representative Deliberative Processes
Location
South Australia
Australia
Scope of Influence
Regional
Files
Planning Together Panel Draft Charter 30 July 17
Commission Engagement Report
Community Engagement Charter April 2018
Links
https://www.democracyco.com.au/our-projects/community-engagement-charter/
Community Engagement Charter
Videos
Community Engagement Charter
Summary of Community Engagement Charter process
Start Date
End Date
Ongoing
No
Time Limited or Repeated?
A single, defined period of time
Purpose/Goal
Make, influence, or challenge decisions of government and public bodies
Make, influence, or challenge decisions of private organizations
Approach
Consultation
Spectrum of Public Participation
Consult
Total Number of Participants
100
Open to All or Limited to Some?
Limited to Only Some Groups or Individuals
Recruitment Method for Limited Subset of Population
Stratified Random Sample
Targeted Demographics
Experts
Stakeholder Organizations
General Types of Methods
Deliberative and dialogic process
General Types of Tools/Techniques
Facilitate dialogue, discussion, and/or deliberation
Collect, analyse and/or solicit feedback
Propose and/or develop policies, ideas, and recommendations
Specific Methods, Tools & Techniques
Deliberation
Workshop
Legality
Yes
Facilitators
Yes
Facilitator Training
Professional Facilitators
Face-to-Face, Online, or Both
Both
Types of Interaction Among Participants
Discussion, Dialogue, or Deliberation
Ask & Answer Questions
Information & Learning Resources
Written Briefing Materials
Expert Presentations
Communication of Insights & Outcomes
Public Report
Type of Organizer/Manager
Regional Government
For-Profit Business
Funder
South Australian Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure
Type of Funder
Regional Government
Staff
Yes
Volunteers
No
Evidence of Impact
Yes
Types of Change
Changes in public policy
Changes in how institutions operate
Implementers of Change
Elected Public Officials
Appointed Public Servants
Stakeholder Organizations

CASE

Community Engagement Charter, South Australia

August 4, 2020 Joyce Chen
February 12, 2020 Lucy J Parry, Participedia Team
September 3, 2019 Scott Fletcher Bowlsby
June 29, 2019 Lucy J Parry, Participedia Team
General Issues
Planning & Development
Specific Topics
Housing Planning
Transportation Planning
Infrastructure
Collections
Participedia Team
OECD Project on Representative Deliberative Processes
Location
South Australia
Australia
Scope of Influence
Regional
Files
Planning Together Panel Draft Charter 30 July 17
Commission Engagement Report
Community Engagement Charter April 2018
Links
https://www.democracyco.com.au/our-projects/community-engagement-charter/
Community Engagement Charter
Videos
Community Engagement Charter
Summary of Community Engagement Charter process
Start Date
End Date
Ongoing
No
Time Limited or Repeated?
A single, defined period of time
Purpose/Goal
Make, influence, or challenge decisions of government and public bodies
Make, influence, or challenge decisions of private organizations
Approach
Consultation
Spectrum of Public Participation
Consult
Total Number of Participants
100
Open to All or Limited to Some?
Limited to Only Some Groups or Individuals
Recruitment Method for Limited Subset of Population
Stratified Random Sample
Targeted Demographics
Experts
Stakeholder Organizations
General Types of Methods
Deliberative and dialogic process
General Types of Tools/Techniques
Facilitate dialogue, discussion, and/or deliberation
Collect, analyse and/or solicit feedback
Propose and/or develop policies, ideas, and recommendations
Specific Methods, Tools & Techniques
Deliberation
Workshop
Legality
Yes
Facilitators
Yes
Facilitator Training
Professional Facilitators
Face-to-Face, Online, or Both
Both
Types of Interaction Among Participants
Discussion, Dialogue, or Deliberation
Ask & Answer Questions
Information & Learning Resources
Written Briefing Materials
Expert Presentations
Communication of Insights & Outcomes
Public Report
Type of Organizer/Manager
Regional Government
For-Profit Business
Funder
South Australian Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure
Type of Funder
Regional Government
Staff
Yes
Volunteers
No
Evidence of Impact
Yes
Types of Change
Changes in public policy
Changes in how institutions operate
Implementers of Change
Elected Public Officials
Appointed Public Servants
Stakeholder Organizations

In 2017, a panel of 50 South Australian citizens worked with planning professionals to produce a draft charter for involving the community in planning and planning reform.

Problems and Purpose

In 2016, a new Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act came into law in South Australia. The new Act required that the community be engaged early on in planning processes to increase the community’s capacity influence planning procedures [1]. This was to be guided through a community engagement charter which would describe principles for community engagement in the planning process [2].

As part of the public consultation to develop the charter, a deliberative panel – the ‘planning together panel’ comprising of 50 randomly selected South Australians and 53 planning professionals met to develop a set of core principles for the community engagement charter [3].

Background History and Context

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Organizing, Supporting, and Funding Entities

The consultation process was instigated by the Government of South Australia’s Department for Planning, Transport and Infrastructure and the State Planning Commission. The deliberative panel was designed and facilitated by democracyCo.

Participant Recruitment and Selection

The panel was comprised of 53 planning professionals and invited stakeholder organizations and 50 randomly selected South Australian residents, with 22% of participants recruited from regional South Australia [4].

Methods and Tools Used

Deliberation

What Went On: Process, Interaction, and Participation

Because the community engagement charter is a legislative requirement of the new Planning Act, the panel could not be given a completely open remit and thus worked closely with professionals to ensure that the resulting charter would meet the requirements needed [5].

The overall consultation phase for the development of the community engagement charter took place in three phases. The planning together panel formed the first phase. They met and deliberated over four days and two weekends to develop a discussion draft of the community engagement charter.

During the four days, the panel were supported by a discussion guide developed by democracyCo and an architecture firm. The panel first heard presentations to help them understand the planning process and role of the charter. They then participated in collaborative workshops to develop principles of good community engagement and then draft the community charter [6].

The discussion draft developed by the panel was then released to community and stakeholder organizations for feedback for the second phase of the consultation. In the third phase, the finalized draft of the community charter was opened for formal public consultation [7].

Influence, Outcomes, and Effects

The final community charter was released in April 2018, based on the discussion draft from the panel, with a number of alterations. Ways in which the charter was changed include making principles more succinct and improving the structure of the charter. Details of this process can be found in this report.

Analysis and Lessons Learned

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See Also

References

[1] Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure (2020). Community Engagement Charter. Available at: https://www.saplanningportal.sa.gov.au/planning_reforms/new_planning_tools/community_engagement_charter

[2] DemocracyCo (2020). Community Engagement Charter, South Australia. Available at: https://www.democracyco.com.au/our-projects/community-engagement-charter/

[3] Planning Together Panel (2017). Planning Together Panel Draft Charter [pdf]. Available at: http://www.democracyco.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Planning-Together-Panel-Draft-Charter-30July17.pdf

[4] DemocracyCo (2020). Community Engagement Charter, South Australia. Available at: https://www.democracyco.com.au/our-projects/community-engagement-charter/

[5] Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure (2017). Community Engagement Charter. YouTube: DPTI South Australia. Available at : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wg5pmjyh22k

[6] State Planning Commission (2017). Commission Engagement Report [pdf]. Available at: https://www.saplanningportal.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/450357/Commission_Engagement_Report.pdf

[7] Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure (2020). Community Engagement Charter. Available at: https://www.saplanningportal.sa.gov.au/planning_reforms/new_planning_tools/community_engagement_charter

External Links

https://www.democracyco.com.au/our-projects/community-engagement-charter/

https://www.saplanningportal.sa.gov.au/planning_reforms/new_planning_tools/community_engagement_charter

Notes