Public Participation in Environmental Impact Assessment and Management Survey

Experience and Opinion on Public Participation

This short survey is intended to obtain opinion and feedback on the practice of public participation in Environment Impact Assessment and Management. Your response should include your experience before and after a project is active, and refers to your experience with all manner of projects - policies, strategies, assessments, from IDP, through EIA and EMF.

1. I believe that Public Participation under Environmental Legislation is fair.

Strongly Agree	Agree	Indifferent or ambivalent	Somewhat disagree	Strongly disagree	N/A
*I believe that Public Participation under Environmental Legislation is fair. Strongly Agree	Agree	Indifferent or ambivalent	Somewhat disagree	Strongly disagree	N/A

2. I believe the Public Participation Processes are effective in ensuring sustainable development

Strongly Agree	Agree	Indifferent or ambivalent	Somewhat disagree	Strongly disagree	N/A
*I believe the Public Participation Processes are effective in ensuring sustainable development Strongly Agree	Agree	Indifferent or ambivalent	Somewhat disagree	Strongly disagree	N/A

3. Public Participation could be improved by -

	Agree	Perhaps	Disagree
Facilitators being specifically qualified and skilled to engage with the public	*Public Participation could be improved by - Facilitators being specifically qualified and skilled to engage with the public Agree	Facilitators being specifically qualified and skilled to engage with the public Perhaps	Facilitators being specifically qualified and skilled to engage with the public Disagree
Facilitators being skilled in handling and resolving conflict in public meetings/ workshops	Facilitators being skilled in handling and resolving conflict in public meetings/ workshops Agree	Facilitators being skilled in handling and resolving conflict in public meetings/ workshops Perhaps	Facilitators being skilled in handling and resolving conflict in public meetings/ workshops Disagree
Allowing more time to comment	Allowing more time to comment Agree	Allowing more time to comment Perhaps	Allowing more time to comment Disagree
Allowing more time to engage with the proponent	Allowing more time to engage with the proponent Agree	Allowing more time to engage with the proponent Perhaps	Allowing more time to engage with the proponent Disagree
Allowing time to engage with the decision makers	Allowing time to engage with the decision makers Agree	Allowing time to engage with the decision makers Perhaps	Allowing time to engage with the decision makers Disagree
Providing better feedback on comments submitted	Providing better feedback on comments submitted Agree	Providing better feedback on comments submitted Perhaps	Providing better feedback on comments submitted Disagree
Providing clearer indication of how the comments received have been considered in the project / have altered the project	Providing clearer indication of how the comments received have been considered in the project / have altered the project Agree	Providing clearer indication of how the comments received have been considered in the project / have altered the project Perhaps	Providing clearer indication of how the comments received have been considered in the project / have altered the project Disagree
Creating more flexibility in the public participation meetings wrt venues and times	Creating more flexibility in the public participation meetings wrt venues and times Agree	Creating more flexibility in the public participation meetings wrt venues and times Perhaps	Creating more flexibility in the public participation meetings wrt venues and times Disagree

Other (please specify)

4. Findings suggest that Public Participation has a limited influence on the decision and the project. The intention is that Public Participation should inform project alternatives.
The quality of participation could be improved by -

	Agree	Perhaps	Disagree
Providing shorter summaries of reports	*Findings suggest that Public Participation has a limited influence on the decision and the project. The intention is that Public Participation should inform project alternatives. The quality of participation could be improved by - Providing shorter summaries of reports Agree	Providing shorter summaries of reports Perhaps	Providing shorter summaries of reports Disagree
Providing reports in different languages	Providing reports in different languages Agree	Providing reports in different languages Perhaps	Providing reports in different languages Disagree
Providing layman's versions of the technical reports	Providing layman's versions of the technical reports Agree	Providing layman's versions of the technical reports Perhaps	Providing layman's versions of the technical reports Disagree
Providing clearer better quality maps to download	Providing clearer better quality maps to download Agree	Providing clearer better quality maps to download Perhaps	Providing clearer better quality maps to download Disagree
Explaining implications of the project better	Explaining implications of the project better Agree	Explaining implications of the project better Perhaps	Explaining implications of the project better Disagree
Elaborating on the potential cumulative and longterm implication	Elaborating on the potential cumulative and longterm implication Agree	Elaborating on the potential cumulative and longterm implication Perhaps	Elaborating on the potential cumulative and longterm implication Disagree
Being more open to hearing alternative suggestions from the I&APs	Being more open to hearing alternative suggestions from the I&APs Agree	Being more open to hearing alternative suggestions from the I&APs Perhaps	Being more open to hearing alternative suggestions from the I&APs Disagree
Explaining why alternatives suggested are not viable or not considered	Explaining why alternatives suggested are not viable or not considered Agree	Explaining why alternatives suggested are not viable or not considered Perhaps	Explaining why alternatives suggested are not viable or not considered Disagree
Appointing a specialist to help the I&APs come up with alternatives	Appointing a specialist to help the I&APs come up with alternatives Agree	Appointing a specialist to help the I&APs come up with alternatives Perhaps	Appointing a specialist to help the I&APs come up with alternatives Disagree
Appointing a specialist to help the I&APs understand their role and their rights	Appointing a specialist to help the I&APs understand their role and their rights Agree	Appointing a specialist to help the I&APs understand their role and their rights Perhaps	Appointing a specialist to help the I&APs understand their role and their rights Disagree

Other (please specify)

5. After the "Ten Year Review of EIA", there was broad consensus that SA should have fewer EIAs, more self-regulation and other tools, and more emphasis on strategic planning. In that scenario, public participation would need to be -

	Agree	Perhaps	Disagree
More comprehensive i.e. specialist studies	*After the "Ten Year Review of EIA", there was broad consensus that SA should have fewer EIAs, more self-regulation and other tools, and more emphasis on strategic planning. In that scenario, public participation would need to be - More comprehensive i.e. specialist studies Agree	More comprehensive i.e. specialist studies Perhaps	More comprehensive i.e. specialist studies Disagree
Extended over a longer period for seasonal variances	Extended over a longer period for seasonal variances Agree	Extended over a longer period for seasonal variances Perhaps	Extended over a longer period for seasonal variances Disagree
Extended over a longer comment period	Extended over a longer comment period Agree	Extended over a longer comment period Perhaps	Extended over a longer comment period Disagree
More informative i.e. comprehesive "status quo" and detailed plans	More informative i.e. comprehesive "status quo" and detailed plans Agree	More informative i.e. comprehesive "status quo" and detailed plans Perhaps	More informative i.e. comprehesive "status quo" and detailed plans Disagree
Have a wider scope, including cumulative impacts	Have a wider scope, including cumulative impacts Agree	Have a wider scope, including cumulative impacts Perhaps	Have a wider scope, including cumulative impacts Disagree
Have a wider scope, including other departments and projects	Have a wider scope, including other departments and projects Agree	Have a wider scope, including other departments and projects Perhaps	Have a wider scope, including other departments and projects Disagree
Better integrated with town planning	Better integrated with town planning Agree	Better integrated with town planning Perhaps	Better integrated with town planning Disagree
Allow for a neighbourhood or community to define what they want or need	Allow for a neighbourhood or community to define what they want or need Agree	Allow for a neighbourhood or community to define what they want or need Perhaps	Allow for a neighbourhood or community to define what they want or need Disagree
The stepping stone for a community's vision to be pulled into local planning	The stepping stone for a community's vision to be pulled into local planning Agree	The stepping stone for a community's vision to be pulled into local planning Perhaps	The stepping stone for a community's vision to be pulled into local planning Disagree

Other (please specify)

6. Public Participation should begin with consultation in a neighbour / community / district about the Vision of the residents / landowners for the area

Strongly Agree	Agree	Can't see how that would work	Disagree	Strongly disagree
*Public Participation should begin with consultation in a neighbour / community / district about the Vision of the residents / landowners for the area Strongly Agree	Agree	Can't see how that would work	Disagree	Strongly disagree

Other (please specify)

7. If you agree that consultation is required on the Vision for an area, who is responsible for arriving at consensus on that Vision?

If you agree that consultation is required on the Vision for an area, who is responsible for arriving at consensus on that Vision? The Residents and landowners themselves

The Local Authority

The Ward Committee

The IDP Public Participation Process

The Councillor

Other (please specify)

8. Your experience in public participation tends to be as -

Your experience in public participation tends to be as - Affected landowner

Affected party

Interested party

Volunteer assisting others

Consultant paid to work in public participation

Official

Designated representative of a community (e.g. Rate Payers Association, Tourism Association)

Other (please specify)

If there is anything you believe would significantly improve public participation, please provide comment.