OPENING LINES ROY BUTLER MP ACTION LEADS NEW GUIDE FOR COUNCILS Source: arr.news, Krista Schade, First Published May 26th, 2025 A new guide for New South Wales councils is set to strengthen consultation practices with regional, rural and remote communities. The guide is designed to build stronger regional communities by delivering solutions tailored to local communities and informed by local knowledge and follows the introduction of the Regional Communities (Consultation Standards) Act 2024, by Independent Member for Barwon, Roy Butler. The Member for Barwon worked with the government to address the barriers which have historically faced regional engagement with government consultations, including population sparsity, and digital disadvantages. Mr Butler said that regional communities know what they need but feel disadvantaged by current consultation processes, including a reliance on digital channels, or consultation conducted during harvest. “While not all projects will reflect every view, consultation should be done to give regional, rural and remote communities a fair chance to share their input, which is what this guide will now ensure,” Mr Butler said. “The guide will significantly reduce the risk of tickthe-box disingenuous consultation occurring or bad decisions being forced on vulnerable communities.” The Regional Communities Consultation Guide outlines the State Government’s approach to consulting with regional, rural and remote communities, including Aboriginal communities, to make better decisions and improve the lives of people across New South Wales. In a state first this legislation enshrines that compliance with the guide is required for certain consultations, setting a clear standard that those affected by decisions should be involved in the decision-making process. The guide is informed by in-depth stakeholder engagement across regional and rural communities, to ensure the priorities and expectations of regional, rural and remote communities are reflected. This included direct engagement with peak organisations including the NSW Aboriginal Land Council, Local Government NSW, the Country Mayors Association, the Riverina and Murray Joint Organisation and the Central NSW Joint Organisation. Further, around 200 stakeholders participated in 7 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA VOLUME 07, ISSUE 05
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