Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2013C00288:reg:5:p2
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2013C00288
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 5 (pt 2/5)
Character Range: 3106113–3110534

community members, or for safety concerns).
Search conference  Usually 2030 participants selected to be heterogeneous but sharing an interest, staged discussion aimed at identifying broad cross-section of views on a variety of issues, lasting a day, weekend or longer.                        Can assist in the early stages of the engagement process to identify community characteristics and relevant issues, program devised with participants, future orientated, allows lengthy discussion to develop and refine ideas.                                                               Large time commitment, may appear to be an elite group, participants may not have necessary information, may tend to result in 'wish list' of unrealistic future requirements.
Design meeting     Community members meet to work on maps, scale representations and photographs to gain better idea of the effect on their community of proposals and options, expert presenters may be required.                                       Allows community members to better express their views and visualise the impact of changes, enables consultant to understand how a proposal appears to the community.                                                                                                                          Numbers of participants limited, limited technique if complete socio-economic and environmental impact to be determined.
Workshops          Participants are usually homogeneous in terms of skills and concerns, structured sessions aimed at encouraging open discussion between participants and producing proposals for solutions.                                            Provides opportunity for all stakeholders to contribute, a flexible technique that can be used at all stages of the engagement process, can provide a forum for testing alternatives, training opportunities, information gathering and dissemination, receiving feedback and refining input.  If the participants are specifically selected then the nature of this technique can result in it appearing exclusive, the specific workshops may restrict discussion and debate.
Seminars           A meeting where a particular subject is explored in depth for some length of time under expert guidance.                                                                                                                              Opportunity for learning and information sharing, detailed discussion and inquiry can take place, all participants can question or contribute.                                                                                                                                                 The 'right' expert may not be available, participants may not be adequately prepared, experts may dominate and inhibit discussion.

Individual techniques
Technique                            Description and Guidelines                                                                                                                                                                        Advantages                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Disadvantages
Individual discussion                Selected individuals consulted by telephone, meetings and doorknocking an area.                                                                                                                   Provides a quick and efficient means of disseminating information and identifying a range of issues and views.                                                                                                               Provides limited opportunities for large numbers of community members to participate in the process, does not allow for broadscale exchange of ideas.
Submission                           Oral or written submissions to enable people to register their ideas and concerns, open to the general community and usually undertaken in the early or later stages of engagement.               Political and institutional demonstration of commitment to open engagement, provides focus for groups to organise a basis from which to lobby, provides consultant with some information on viewpoints of key stakeholders.  Limited role as submissions are unlikely to draw response from minority groups in the