Community Engagement Strategy
At the end of 2022 we released our Community Engagement Strategy (the Strategy)
Flip through the Strategy below or click the button to download.
Core elements of the Strategy
To ensure that the Strategy aligns with the values of our commitment (Leading by example, Collaboration, Connectedness, Evidence-based, and Trust) five core elements have been developed, these are:
We know that we won’t be able to deliver on our vision of the Great Ocean Road region thriving as one integrated living entity without a genuine relationship with the communities that we serve. Between February 2021 and June 2022, the Authority consulted with Traditional Owners, our communities and key stakeholders to create a Community Engagement Framework and Strategy. View the draft Community Engagement Framework here and watch the community webinar on the draft framework here.
Community consultation and participation plays an essential and effective role in the protection, improvement and promotion of the Great Ocean Road coast and parks, and our draft community engagement commitment and framework outlines how we will bring this to life.
As part of our commitment, we will ensure that our communities have the knowledge and the opportunities necessary to participate fully in the future of our Great Ocean Road.
To ensure that our Community Engagement Framework consistently aligns with our values and principles, we have highlighted five core elements of engagement. These elements are each designed to meet a specific purpose, as well as integrate into a broader structure for reaching our vision.
For the purposes of this framework, communities includes, but is not limited to, the Wadawurrung people and Eastern Maar, as Traditional Owners, residents of the Great Ocean Road region, visitors to the Great Ocean Road region, advocacy organisations and local, state and national government departments and agencies.
In developing the Strategy, the Authority has referred to a number of key sources for guidance on best practice community engagement frameworks and models. These include, but are not limited to:
- Great Ocean Road Action Plan recommendations and actions
- Great Ocean Road and Environs Protection Act 2020
- Great Ocean Road and Environs Protection Amendment Bill 2021
- Traditional Owner Settlement Act 2010
- UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
- Minister’s Statement of Expectation
- Extensive consultation on the draft framework
- Great Ocean Road Taskforce Community Views Reports from 2018 –2020
- Best practice community engagement frameworks and models.
In addition, the Authority Board, internal staff, key stakeholders and community groups all provided significant guidance and feedback on what matters to them.
