Understanding Community Consultation 

What Is Community Consultation? 

Community consultation refers to processes used to gather community feedback, perspectives and lived experience during planning and decision-making.

Consultation can include:

• Public exhibitions

• Surveys

• Workshops

• Community meetings

• Online engagement

• Stakeholder discussions

• Written submissions

Consultation helps communities express local knowledge, priorities and concerns.

Why Consultation Matters

Communities experience planning decisions directly in everyday life.

They experience:

• • Housing change

  • Infrastructure impacts

  • Transport access

  • Public space quality

  • Service access

  • Community wellbeing outcomes

Meaningful consultation helps create:

• • Better planning outcomes

  • Greater public trust

  • Increased transparency

  • More inclusive decision-making

  • Stronger civic participation

Communities often have valuable local knowledge that can improve long-term outcomes.

What Meaningful Consultation Looks Like 

Meaningful consultation should be:

• Accessible

• Inclusive

• Transparent

• Easy to understand

• Early in the process

• Responsive to feedback

Good consultation is not simply about informing communities after decisions are made.

It is about creating genuine opportunities for participation.

Why This Matters for Greater Western Sydney 

Greater Western Sydney is experiencing significant growth and change.

As communities evolve, meaningful consultation becomes increasingly important for:

• Building trust

• Strengthening participation

• Improving planning outcomes

• Supporting social cohesion

• Ensuring local voices are heard

Communities should have opportunities to help shape the future of their region.

How This Connects to the Fair Share Framework 

Community consultation is closely connected to: 

• Fair Access

• Fair Opportunity

• Fair Voice

The Fair Share Framework recognises that fair growth requires meaningful community participation in planning and decision-making. 

Related Framework Pillars

Related Resources  

• What Is Civic Participation?

• Planning Literacy for Communities

• Civic Participation and Place

• Understanding Fair Share