Community Engagement Process
The Communication Strategy for the WQPP (doc 1.3Mb) project identifies the sorts of communications required for each of the elements of the Plan including the need to continually engage with a number of external stakeholders including those in private sector to ensure support for the WQPP initiative (WQPP Communication Strategy; p4). The document also recognises that there are two separate stages of communications to distinguish communication processes relating to the preparation of the draft Plan and its specific components including the preparation of water quality objectives and the associated review of Beneficial Use Declarations (BUDs, Stage 1) and the public comment and endorsement of the draft Water Quality Protection Plan (Stage 2).
As one of WQPP project’s major stakeholders representing broad section of the community, Darwin Harbour Advisory Committee (DHAC) lead the public consultation process and a separate more detailed communication plan for public consultation on the Beneficial Uses Declarations (doc 254Kb) has been developed by NRETAS’ media marketing group in consultation with the Committee and with Controller of Water Resources.
Aside from the community engagement process discussed here, a concurrent project on the determination of indigenous values for the Harbour’s waters is also taking place and is also expected to inform further work on the Plan. In order to commence this project an information session was also held with the recently formed Larakia Harbour Committee to provide basis for on-going consultation process.
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