Published name
3. Is the consultation process provided in the proposed Regulations appropriate?
3.1 What changes (if any) do you recommend?
Please consider the following questions in drafting your response to question 3.1:
a. Is it appropriate for licence holders to consult representatives and representative bodies where these bodies could reasonably be regarded as representing the interests of individuals, persons, organisations, groups or communities?
b. Is it appropriate for the same consultation requirements to apply to all types of projects (for example, for research and demonstration projects compared to commercial projects)? If not, what changes do you recommend?
c. Do you consider the proposed stakeholder engagement strategy described in the management plan, but separate to the management plan, to be adequately flexible and appropriate? If not, why, and what might be an alternative approach?
d. Do you agree with the list of information that must be described in the management plan in relation to the stakeholder engagement strategy? Should any other matters be described?
If individuals are not to be consulted, it is important that 'representatives' are indeed representative of the community. Initial consultation process in the Hunter region was flawed and inadequate. We need to ensure there is true consultation, where entities with financial interests do not have a disproportionate weighting.
