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Governing the City State - Chief Minister and Treasury Directorate ...

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<strong>the</strong>re was no ‘one size fits all’ approach to engagement activities that worked foreveryone. A range of methods is required to cater for <strong>the</strong> preferences of differentgroups in <strong>the</strong> community.The more involved <strong>and</strong> engaged citizens are in complex planning, program or policyissues, <strong>the</strong> more aware <strong>the</strong>y become of <strong>the</strong> constraints, options, <strong>and</strong> drivers forchange, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> more satisfied <strong>the</strong>y are with <strong>the</strong> engagement process.There was recognition ... that engagement processes need to get beyond <strong>the</strong> mostarticulate, loudest or powerful voices. Respondents believed that methods to directlyengage those population groups who are more challenging to reach were required.Such groups included working people, people with children, people with disabilities<strong>and</strong> people of culturally <strong>and</strong> linguistically diverse backgrounds.The telephone survey <strong>and</strong> online forum confirmed that <strong>the</strong>re is an appetite to useonline opportunities for community engagement, <strong>and</strong> access to online services is veryhigh in <strong>the</strong> ACT. 83The Review notes <strong>the</strong> Government recently released draft guidelines on communityengagement, <strong>and</strong> that consultation on those guidelines has now closed. 84Inviting Stakeholders to <strong>the</strong> Cabinet TableA more formal option for pursuing greater engagement in decision making would be toestablish an Executive Committee of Cabinet along <strong>the</strong> lines of <strong>the</strong> one established in SouthAustralia to drive implementation of South Australia’s <strong>State</strong> Plan (equivalent to <strong>the</strong> CanberraPlan). At <strong>the</strong> time it was established, <strong>the</strong> Executive Committee was “unique in Australia as itis a Cabinet Committee (which <strong>the</strong> Premier chairs) with two Independent Advisers - onerepresenting <strong>the</strong> <strong>State</strong>'s Economic Development Board, <strong>and</strong> one representing <strong>the</strong> SocialInclusion Board”. 85The Government might consider an equivalent body to oversee implementation <strong>and</strong>refinement of <strong>the</strong> Canberra Plan. It might also consider establishing such a body to guidedevelopment of planning <strong>and</strong> development policies. This approach would assist in buildingcommunity support for, <strong>and</strong> engagement with, <strong>the</strong> Government’s strategic direction for <strong>the</strong>ACT <strong>and</strong> would be an extension of, but not replacement for, <strong>the</strong> <strong>Chief</strong> <strong>Minister</strong>’s RoundTable meetings with various stakeholder groups.The Commonwealth Government has recently moved to establish a multi-party ClimateChange Committee comprising members of <strong>the</strong> Government <strong>and</strong> non-government Senators<strong>and</strong> Members of <strong>the</strong> House of Representatives. This model might also prove to be of value in83 Twyfords, Straight Talk, ENVision (2010) Report on Improving Community Engagement. Canberrahttp://www.communityengagement.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/159735/improving-communityengagement.pdfp.4.84 See http://www.communityengagement.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/159694/DRAFT_Community_engagement_-_July_10.pdf85 South Australian Government (2010a) Cabinet Office Overview <strong>and</strong> Reformhttp://www.premcab.sa.gov.au/dpc/department_cabinet_background.html<strong>Governing</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>City</strong> <strong>State</strong>: 68

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