• Real-world examples of how community input drives innovation and success.
• Insights from leading major energy infrastructure projects,
• highlighting the critical role of early and ongoing community engagement.
• Formal and informal community engagement – the importance of little steps
• How transparent communication, collaboration, and tailored engagement strategies have shaped project outcomes, built trust, and delivered lasting value to communities.
• How project teams and community engagement professionals can work together to navigate challenges

• The trust deficit – How historic disengagement, broken promises, or opaque planning processes have fostered local scepticism — and what it takes to rebuild trust.
• Reframing Engagement in High-Conflict Contexts – How seemingly minor decisions can build or erode trust and why we should shift from “informing” to “listening” when facing community outrage or fatigue.
• From resistance to resonance – What can we do better? A more collaborative approach and the importance of early engagement.

• The role of social license in community trust and how SLO ensures communities feel heard, respected, and informed.
• Discussing engagement strategies and methods to involve diverse voices in decision-making processes
• Creating long-term relationships and the importance of sustained partnerships beyond project completion
• Transparency as a foundation for respect: Examining how open communication strengthens community trust
• Measuring success in social license and identifying key indicators of effective community engagement and approval.

Renewable energy and the journey to net zero is seeing a polarising debate over climate benefits versus impacts to rural communities.

Anti-renewables groups are purporting to represent communities, but are they? Are we getting a distorted view of renewable energy acceptance? Is there widespread community opposition as we hear in mainstream and social media? Kath will outline how Squadron Energy is:

• seeking to hear wider community views, which are often muted by vocal interested parties
• pivoting to use different engagement techniques
• introducing engagement innovations by reaching into the past and the future for inspiration

• What is Collaborative Working and ISO 44001
• Experience in major projects of national significance that are analogous to renewables
• Why are those projects analogous , how they build social license
• Department of Defence/ Murry Water/ other
• Transferable skills and learning for the renewable sector

• The role of truth-telling in Building Trust – How honesty creates stronger community relationships.
• Legitimacy through transparent practices – Ensuring fairness and accountability in decision-making.
• Strategies for acknowledging past mistakes and rebuilding credibility.
• Truth-telling as a continuous process: Embedding honesty throughout the project lifecycle.
• Practical tools for transparency: Methods to communicate openly and authentically with stakeholders.

This presentation provides a case study on how to engage effectively with communities following sustained opposition. Engagement focused on directly impacted stakeholders enables projects to:

• Defuse the potential for conflict in the community
• Meaningfully leverage community input to the design, planning and delivery process
• Provide regulators and approving agencies with confidence that community input has genuinely informed the Project

• International evidence and our research suggest that successful socioeconomic transformations – such as the transition to zero emissions – depend on empowering and informing communities to actively shape their future.
• Community resistance to energy infrastructure projects in Tasmania often stems from a lack of clear narrative about why these projects are necessary and how they fit into a broader vision for Tasmania’s future.
• Qualitative systems mapping provides an evidence-based, interactive method for working with communities to explore the benefits and challenges of the transition, which will ultimately build support for vital new energy infrastructure projects.
• The Tamar Valley Zero pilot project (a partnership between the University of Tasmanian and CSIRO) demonstrates how systems mapping can be used to help stakeholders understand the potential synergies and trade-offs associated with different approaches to the transition

As energy infrastructure projects expand, understanding and managing their social implications is crucial. This panel will explore the role of social impact assessments (SIAs) in ensuring that projects not only meet regulatory requirements but also contribute positively to local communities.

• Effective strategies for conducting SIAs that genuinely reflect community needs and concerns.
• Best practices for leveraging SIA findings to enhance community engagement and create trust.
• Case studies showcasing successful integration of social impact management in energy projects.
• Collaborative approaches between project developers, community leaders, and stakeholders to promote sustainable community benefits