Community Engagement

Community Reference Group

The SEMRC is committed to ensuring that there is effective community engagement and opportunity for input into the decision-making process for the development of a Resource Recovery Facility (RRF). In 2004, the SEMRC established a Community Reference Group (CRG) comprising interested members of the community and some individuals with particular expertise. This group has worked together to develop the Site Selection and Technology Criteria for the Regional Resource Recovery Facility. The Terms of Reference for the CRG may be found here. Current membership can be found here.

Principles of Community Engagement

In developing the draft Site and Technology Selection criteria, the SEMRC, in partnership with the CRG, developed and adopted the following three principles of Community Involvement:

1	SEMRC as Decision Maker	The SEMRC is the lawfully constituted body responsible for making decisions in relation to waste management matters in the region. The commitment to consult, engage and involve the community, does not in any way transfer or reduce this responsibility.
2	SEMRC to Involve/Engage the Community in the Decision making Process	The SEMRC is committed to a transparent approach to informing the community and will operate in good faith with the CRG in involving/engaging the community in the process used for decision making.
3	SEMRC to Publicly Report Where Decisions Deviate from the Recommendations of the Community reference Group	The SEMRC has established the CRG to inform it of community views and provide advice on how best to involve the community. The SEMRC will at all times it take into account of the advice of the CRG and in the event that it does not to agree with that advice, the SEMRC will publicly report the CRG's advice and the SEMRC's reasons for adopting a different course