FAQ

In general terms, when planning and undertaking community and stakeholder engagement, a stakeholder is defined as anyone who may be impacted by or have an interest in, the matter under consideration. As engagement practitioners our focus is on creating inclusive processes ensure the diverse range of community and stakeholder views, concerns and issues are known and understood.

This approach aligns with that of Council, which is spelt out in its Community Engagement Protocol. Under the Protocol the community is defined as "any specific socially or geographically defined sectors of the North Sydney community that may have an interest in or be affected by the workings of Council. These may include residents, ratepayers/land owners, business owners and operators, workers, visitors (tourists and shoppers), Government agencies, users of Council services and local community groups and associations." This inclusive, rather than exclusive, approach recognises the importance of ensuring all voices are heard.

To best support the development of Plans of Management, as indicated above, qualitative engagement is required. Qualitative engagement provides an understanding of the views and expectations of the community and stakeholders about an issue, and allows a 'deep dive' to explore contributing factors. It does not measure the quantity of community members or stakeholders who hold a particular view. Although we intend to use engagement tools that can be used to collect quantitative data, such as online surveys, their purpose will be to ensure the engagement process is accessible to those who are unable to attend face-to-face events so that all perspectives, issues and concerns are collected.