Consultation Process

Initial Consultation

Informal consultation was carried out in the 12 months prior to December 2000. The consultations and briefings were in response to invitations that were issued by interest groups. These included:

• Concord and Ryde Councils and two community groups.
• The Olympic Co-ordination Authority’s environmental consultation group, the Homebush Bay Environmental Reference Group, which was given three briefings.

Second Phase

This was the beginning of a more formal consultation process, and roughly coincided with the appointment of the preferred proponent, Theiss Services, for the remediation works.

• The phase lasted from December 2000 to March 2001 and was aimed at recording issues and concerns of interest groups.
• Three Councils, 11 Government agencies, four environmental groups, the Member for Drummoyne and community groups from Rhodes and Meadowbank were all consulted in this period.

To date the consultation process has included project briefings to the following organisations and individuals:

• Auburn Council
• City of Canada Bay Council
• Department of Land and Water Conservation
• Department of Urban Affairs and Planning (Development and Infrastructure Assessment Branch)
• Department of Urban Affairs and Planning (Sydney Region)
• Environment Protection Authority (Contaminated Sites Unit)
• Environment Protection Authority (Water Science Unit)
• Greenpeace
• Homebush Bay Environmental Reference Group
• Member for Drummoyne – John Murray
• Meadowbank Progress Association
• Nature Conservation Council
• National Parks and Wildlife NSW
• NSW Department of Transport
• NSW Fisheries
• NSW Health
• NSW Health Environmental Health Unit
• Olympic Co-ordination Authority Environmental Team
• Olympic Co-ordination Authority Executive Team
• Premiers Department
• Rhodes Residents Group
• Ryde Council
• Total Environment Centre
• Waste Service NSW

Current Phase

The current communications plan, besides continuing the communication established in the previous phases, includes: this website, provides answers to frequently asked questions and gives contact details if more information is needed.

Follow up briefings of government, community and interest groups will continue as part of the individual groups’ normal meeting agendas.

Frequently Asked Questions are available.

Community Consultation

In anticipation of the contract being finalised, Thiess has taken over the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process that Government had commenced. Integral to the EIS is a community consultation program, and Thiess will gradually assume most of the responsibility for communications with the public and interest groups.

In the meantime Government agencies are continuing with a schedule of meetings with particular interest groups including green groups and residents’ groups.

Link to Thiess Community Consultation