JTAA: Case Studies

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CASE STUDIES

PNG Queensland Gas Pipeline Project
Western Corridor Recycled Water Project 2006 - ongoing
Brisbane Urban Corridor Traffic Planning Study

1. PNG Queensland Gas Pipeline Project

In 2006 JTA Australia was engaged by the AGL Petronas Consortium (APC) to conduct the community consultation phase of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the Australian pipeline portion of the proposed PNG Gas Project.

This $3 billion project, which was eventually shelved in 2007, proposed to construct about 3,800km of pipelines (including 650km of subsea pipeline) in Queensland and the Northern Territory to link Australian gas consumers to natural gas reserves in Papua New Guinea.

JTA consulted with a broad range of stakeholders including local, state, territory and federal governments, business groups, property owners, environmental organisations, local economic development bodies (and some Indigenous communities) from Darwin and Gove in the Northern Territory to Weipa, Cairns and Townsville in North Queensland and west to the outback communities of central and southern Queensland.

The extensive community engagement program assisted APC to identify and assess the many environmental and social issues required for EISs for both the Ballera (Qld) and Gove (NT) pipelines. The program involved a range of activities including workshops with community leaders and residents in all major cities and towns plus several outback communities including Windorah, Longreach, Aramac and Quilpie. A travelling display showing the proposed pipeline routes and key facts about the project accompanied two ‘road shows’ featuring senior corporate spokesmen. The road shows gave participants an opportunity to speak directly to APC representatives and environmental consultants about the proposal and associated concerns. All workshops and community forums in these centres were well attended and generated valuable feedback.

Running in tandem with the road shows (July/August and September/October 2006) were a targeted media awareness program to encourage submissions from all interested people (managed by JTA) and an Indigenous consultation program (managed by APC). Together with the face-to-face approach implemented through the workshops and forums, these associated programs generated widespread enquiries and public input into the EIS process. All input (apart from that gathered in Indigenous communities) was received via a JTA-managed special freecall 1800 telephone line, email, freepost mail service and comprehensive database.

The consultation process showed broad support for the pipeline project and strong cooperation from affected non-Indigenous landowners. The shelving of the proposal was a commercial decision and not linked to the results of the consultation process.

2. Western Corridor Recycled Water Project 2006 - ongoing

JTA has a substantial Community Engagement team embedded in the Project office since November 2006.

Over 200 kilometres long, the WCRW pipeline has required sensitive management of such issues as access to suburban backyards by construction teams for significant periods, and local traffic disruption, noise, dust, vibration and 24 hour a day construction.

Time pressures on the project, the glare of frequent newspaper headlines and government policy changes responding to the deepening water crisis in south-east Queensland have been a feature of this challenging project.

The $2.4 billion project has adopted a multi-alliance structure and the JTA team has been called on to coordinate and facilitate five alliance community engagement teams, as well as undertaking face-to-face community engagement at critical project milestones. Inter-agency liaison with a total of 27 other government and local authority bodies has been conducted by JTA on behalf of the project, as well as regular briefings of 124 political representatives through whose electorates/wards the pipeline will pass.

Liaison with other project personnel in the land acquisition team, the Project Management Group, the environment team and the Ministerial office is a key part of JTA’s brief. It also manages the 24/7 project freecall number and a central database of affected landholders to service the entire project.

3. Brisbane Urban Corridor Traffic Planning Study

The 2002-2003 community consultation component of the Brisbane Urban Corridor (BUC) Traffic Planning Study set a benchmark in its field. Taking an unusual 'blank page' approach with no specific outcomes in mind, the Queensland Department of Main Roads and the Federal Department of Transport and Regional Services used JTA to engage a large part of Brisbane south of the river, inviting community input to local and overall traffic solutions for BUC.

This 11km stretch of the National Highway links Brisbane's south-eastern and south-western motorways. While a vital transport corridor, BUC passes through heavily concentrated residential, retail, commercial and industrial suburbs. Heavy traffic flow and truck usage along the corridor increasingly impacted on quality of life - health, pedestrian and motoring safety, noise levels, the environment, congestion and residential amenity.

JTA consultation activities to gather public opinion and suggestions involved more than 40 community meetings, 100 key stakeholder meetings, 250 community member interviews, two community representative forums and a comprehensive public awareness program. Community and stakeholder input into the study was very high, and JTA maintained control of the program despite the challenges and stresses for the participants in the process.

JTA educated and assisted the community to develop realistic solutions and neutralised pre-existing community and political ill-will.

In October 2004 JTA recommenced work on the BUC project to ensure the community was updated on developments along the Corridor and projected work from 2004-2008.

A SNAPSHOT OF JTA PROJECTS

Binary Fire at Narangba: the provision of facilitation and communication services for the preparation of a Health Impact Assessment report for the Narangba communities and the Queensland Government subsequent to the 2005 fire. The report is being prepared by the Narangba Industrial Estate Community Reference Group (co-ordinated by Queensland Health) set up by then Premier Beattie in the aftermath of the fire.

Alternative Northern Corridor Feasibility Study: stakeholder engagement and risk management for a possible bypass for the Ipswich Motorway, a politicised and sensitive project.

Queensland Department of Natural Resources: an audit of stakeholder relationships for the Deputy Director General of DNR. This project reviewed the interface amongst senior management, regional offices, key industry groups and other stakeholders throughout Queensland.

Macquarie Group Ltd: strategic advice to the bank and its alliance partners re transport and toll issues.

CS Energy: community consultation project for the proposed construction of a new gas-powered generator at Swanbank.

Future Energy Needs Task Force: a Queensland Government Task Force examining future energy needs.

CS Energy: intensive stakeholder management re the Kogan Creek power station.

Brisbane Water: community engagement and liaison for the Gold Creek Dam refurbishment.

Sunwater: stakeholder engagement and risk management related to the implementation of new irrigation water pricing policies.

WA Planning Commission: facilitation of contentious inter-agency meeting.

Lancini Group: community consultation on new residential development in Townsville.

Arrow Energy: community consultation, information and communications in relation to coal methane gas operations at Dalby.

Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry: intensive stakeholder consultation Australia-wide as part of a national review of beef export quotas.

Queensland Transport: media awareness training and strategic community consultation advice.

Education Queensland: conflict resolution and mediated outcomes within individual school communities.

Office of Urban Management: community consultation and stakeholder engagement project for a proposed industrial estate on the north coast.

PNG Queensland Gas Pipeline project: stakeholder and community engagement and consultation across Far North and Western Queensland, and the Northern Territory.

Federal Department of Transport and Regional Services: stakeholder management and strategic communications across Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria for AusLink’s East Coast Corridor strategic planning.

Energex: consultation training workshops for middle and senior managers.

Department of Infrastructure and Planning: a freecall enquiry service in relation to the Traveston and Wyaralong Dams, and an extension of the Southern Regional Water Pipeline Terms of Reference.

James Cook University Rowing Club and the Townsville Rowing Club: a community consultation exercise on the relocation of a rowing club in a residential area.

Department of Education, Training and the Arts: a pilot consultation/communications exercise within the State Schools of Tomorrow project. The project involved intensive consultation with the Brisbane Bayside community re the potential expenditure of $100 million plus on the thirteen schools in the area subject to some rationalisation occurring in line with the guiding principles of the project.

Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries: provision of consultancy services to plan and conduct a review of service delivery in Queensland.

The Brisbane Urban Corridor: a best practice, and highly innovative, community consultation project for Queensland Main Roads and the Federal Department of Transport and Regional Services. This 18 month project was designed to elicit from the community its preferred solutions.

BUC Project: community information and liaison for specific road projects which resulted from the findings of the earlier BUC project, and coordination of other consultants engaged on consultation projects along the corridor.

Western Corridor Recycled Water project: management of community engagement and communications for Australia’s largest recycled water project. The 200km pipeline project includes three advanced water treatment plants in South East Queensland. JTA’s role includes management of community engagement across five alliance teams, and management of relationships with 124 elected representatives.

Santos: three stakeholder and community engagement, communication and education projects in Gunnedah Basin NSW, Gladstone Queensland and western Victoria.

Tarong Energy Kunioon Development project: stakeholder and community engagement, communication and education.

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